BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – Is the True Brown Style 13 gang (TBS 13) back on the streets of this city and back on victimizing taxi drivers?
A taxi driver was stabbed in Brgy. Infante, Molo district.
The suspect boarded the God Grace taxi in Brgy. Tanza, City Proper and directed the driver, Lorenzo Española, to take him to a motel in Molo late Friday night.
On arrival there, however, the suspect suddenly stabbed the driver several times, got out of the taxi and fled.
The victim is now confined at the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital.
This modus operandi is reminiscent of previous stabbing incidents attributed to TBS 13.
TBS 13 had been silent for three years following the neutralization of their two leaders – Emmanuel Roque of Brgy. Kasing-Kasing, Molo and Alvin Dizon of Brgy. East Baluarte, Molo.
Roque was found dead in a vacant lot near the old Iloilo airport in Manduriao district on December 1, 2010. He succumbed to 23 gunshot wounds while both of his hands were handcuffed.
Roque had taken over the post of Alvin Dizon who was arrested on October 5, 2010 around 3 p.m. in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Iloilo City Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Group in Molo.
The police later learned that Dizon was the leader of the TBS 13 gang after they recovered documents including pictures of members holding their loot.
Dizon, Roque and companion Alfred Molina of Brgy. Bonifacio, Arevalo district were suspects in killing 33-year-old taxi driver Jurimon Juridico in Ledesco Village, La Paz district.
Roquero and Molina were also the suspects in killing a driver of another taxi in Brgy. Namucon, Tigbauan, Iloilo on August 28, 2010.
In February 24, 2013, six TBS 13 gang members were arrested in Brgy. Santa Felomina, Arevalo for robbery.
Of the six, four were minors.
The two other members were Niño Calunsod, 19, and Shiela Marie Mabini, 18, both of Arevalo.
The six were suspects in the robbery of Linaline Mabaquiao’s house in Brgy. Santa Felomina.
Mabaquiao reported to the police she lost her television set and other valuables.
On the other hand, Iloilo City spokesperson, Supt. Gilbert Gorero said he is not yet sure if the Friday night incident in Molo was a handiwork of the TBD 13 gang.
He said they have not received information that TBS 13 is back and will victimize taxi drivers./PN
