2 men nabbed after being mistaken for gang members
Two young men were brought to Jaro Police Station after they were suspected to be members of the notorious True Brown Style (TBS) 13, a gang of youngsters involved in robbing and killing taxi drivers.
Police identified the two as Chito Diaz, 23, of Buenavista, Guimaras, and Albert Franco, 25, of Brgy. Sambag, Jaro, Iloilo City.
The two boarded a Clint Taxi driven by Rudy Masculino at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
Along E. Lopez St. in Jaro, a Light of Glory Taxi blocked Masculino’s way, he said.
Masculino was then told by the other driver to tell his passengers to get off as they might be members of TBS 13.
When the two young men were brought to a nearby police station, Diaz was found with a knife but he vehemently denied owning the weapon.
A tattoo was also etched on the arms of the suspects.
However, Senior Supt. Dennis Basngi, director of Iloilo City Police Office, said the tattoo is not similar to that of the TBS 13 members.
“Based on our verification, they don’t belong to the gang,” he said.
However, it is still possible that the two young men were planning to rob the taxi driver, Basngi said, adding that they could also be charged for illegal possession of deadly weapon.
Franco was injured on the leg after several drivers manhandled him.
Two hours before their arrest, a group of taxi drivers raised alarmed after a cab turned on his emergency lights signal along Brgy. Sambag, Jaro but the incident turned out to be a false alarm.
Basngi said the drivers’ reaction could be a result of their awareness about the activities of the TBS 13 gang.
He said the ICPO has been meeting with the different taxi groups to help raise their awareness on the modus operandi of the criminal gang.*JPR
