CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Police arrested two barangay chairmen wanted for murder in Don Carlos, Bukidnon on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Camiguin Provincial Field Unit identified the suspects as Saturnino Cuesta, 55, chairman of Barangay Mahayahay, Don Carlos, and Rudyrex Cinco, 42, chairman of Barangay Buyot, Don Carlos.
The suspects were nabbed through “Oplan: Pagtugis” and “Oplan: Salikop” launched by the CIDG-Bukidnon and other police units on a warrant of arrest in Poblacion, Barangay San Isidro, Talakag, Bukidnon.
Cinco is the leader and Cuesta is a member of the Cinco criminal group engaged in gun-for-hire and land-grabbing activities in Bukidnon, according to the CIDG.
The group is unlisted with the Directorate for Intelligence (DI), said Capt. Noel Oclarit, team leader of CIDG Camiguin.
The group is the subject of complaints from Allen Capuyan, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) chairman, during a meeting with local government and police units in Bukidnon last Dec. 12.
CIDG said the group is allegedly involved in the land-grabbing of ancestral domain tilled by Lumads in Barangays Imbayao and Buyot in Don Carlos.
Cinco and Cuesta are detained at the Talakag Municipal Police Station.