ILOILO – The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) is investigating a string of recent robbery incidents, although it has yet to find any direct connection to the upcoming elections.
Police Colonel Bayani Razalan, the IPPO director, stated that while no clear link between the robberies and political candidates has been identified, authorities are keeping all possibilities under consideration.
To address the situation, a tracker team has been formed in coordination with the Provincial Intelligence Unit to identify and apprehend the suspects behind the crimes.
Razalan assured the public that proactive measures are in place to prevent further incidents.
“As of now, there is no established connection between these robbery incidents and political candidates. However, we are not ruling out any possibility as our investigation continues,” said Razalan.
The IPPO also clarified that the Lego-Lebuna criminal gang is not behind the recent robberies. Razalan disclosed that the gang has been inactive for nearly five years, with several of its members either killed, surrendered, or still evading arrest.
Out of the 14 known members, only two remain at large, including their leader, who is believed to be hiding in Zamboanga and Palawan.
“Based on our monitoring and investigation, the Lego-Lebuna gang has been inactive for almost five years. Several of its members have been neutralized or are in hiding, which makes it highly unlikely they are responsible for these recent crimes,” said Razalan.
Authorities are now focusing on a potential armed group (PAG) believed to be operating in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd districts of Iloilo. The IPPO continues to intensify its efforts to maintain peace and order as the election season draws near./PN
