By Richielyn Canlas
Five members of the notorious “Gapos Gang,” long tagged by authorities as a dangerous armed group, were arrested after allegedly masquerading as police officers and presenting fake warrants of arrest to gain entry into a residence in Marikina City.
According to the Eastern Police District (EPD), the suspects—identified by their aliases “Don‑don,” 52; “Ric,” 42; “Ahorn,” 27; “Oryong,” 21; and “Beshir,” 43—stormed a house in Barangay Concepcion Dos at 12:30 a.m. on Monday, July 13.
Armed and posing as cops, they restrained the occupants with cable ties and duct tape, held them at gunpoint, and ransacked the property.
Police said the suspects disabled the home’s Wi‑Fi and destroyed CCTV cameras to conceal their crime.
Despite the intimidation, one victim managed to discreetly send a distress signal to the local police station, prompting a swift response from Marikina Police Sub‑Station 8.
Officers cornered the suspects before they could escape, placing them under custody.
Three other gang members, however, fled with cash, jewelry, and a mobile phone worth millions of pesos. A manhunt is underway for the fugitives.
Recovered from the arrested suspects were firearms—including a chamber‑loaded 9mm pistol and improvised “sumpak” guns—balaclavas, duct tape, cable ties, falsified warrants of arrest, and assorted stolen items.
The suspects now face charges of robbery with violence, usurpation of authority, illegal possession of firearms under Republic Act No. 10591, slight illegal detention, and falsification of public documents.
EPD chief Brig. Gen. Melecio M. Buslig condemned the gang’s use of police identity to terrorize civilians.
“These criminals weaponized the identity of the Philippine National Police to violate the sanctity of a private home. We will not tolerate criminal elements masking themselves as officers of the law,” he said, vowing relentless pursuit of the remaining members of the Gapos Gang.
