Police have been hunting one elusive gang leader wanted on murder and robbery charges. They finally caught him Wednesday, not during a police operation, but for drunk driving.
His name is Jerome “Botong” Garcia and he was the 9th-most wanted man in the National Capital Region (NCR).
He was arrested by Antipolo policemen after he hit a concrete barrier in Sumulong Highway. Inquirer.net reported that the accident happened because Garcia was drunk.
The Antipolo City Emergency Medical Team were the ones who called police, prompting them to go to the site of the accident. The police found that Garcia was carrying a .45-cal pistol and what looked like packets of shabu (meth).
Garcia, who was wearing a police shirt when the accident happened, was charged with illegal use of a police uniform and driving without a license and certificate of registration for the motorcycle.
But Pasig City police found out that Garcia is actually the leader of a crime group and had been charged with much more.
The city’s police chief, Senior Supt. Orlando Yebra Jr., said in his report that they had been following Garcia for more than two months.
Apart from being the 9th-most wanted man in NCR, the same Inquirer.net report says Garcia is also the most wanted man in the Pasig City area.
The Philippine Star reported that he is also part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug list.
Garcia has been linked to a robbery case with a recommended bail of PHP100,000 (approx. US$1,967) and a pending murder case in Pasig City. He has also violated the election gun ban and the comprehensive firearms law.
The police served Garcia four arrest warrants after learning his identity.
