Kidnap-For-Ransom gang leader arrested
LINGAYEN—The leader/negotiator of the notorious Pepino Kidnap-For-Ransom (KFR) group, which was involved in a series of 15 KFR cases nationwide, was arrested Wednesday morning by the joint effort of the Philippine National Police, the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER), provincial and regional police in barangay Arnedo, Bolinao town.
Arrested was Jessie Ruelas Pepino, alias Gingging, 34, a native of Surigao del Sur. He was swimming at the beach with his family and friends when he was picked up by lawmen led by Supt. Rolando Magno from the provincial police office and Supt. Ronald Lee of PACER.
Senior Supt. Alan Purisima, Pangasinan police director, told local newsmen when Pepino was presented to the media late Wednesday afternoon that “this (the arrest) is a product of good intelligence and I commend the police personnel for doing their job.”
Pepino is the brother of convicted KFR personality Jerry Pepino who is presently detained at the National Bilibid Penetentiary in Muntinlupa. Jerry is the leader of the Baling-baling KFR group whose members come mostly from Surigao del Sur.
Jessie Pepino was arrested by Presidential Anti Organized Crime Task Force in Cebu in 1998, but was later released. He was again arrested by the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group in Cebu in August 2006 together with his group. A case of illegal possession of firearms and usurpation of authority was filed against them before the Municipal Trial Circuit Court in Lapu-lapu City on April 6, 2006 but they managed to jump bail.
Their group resurfaced in 2005 and changed their name from Baling-baling to Pepino KFR whose new leader/negotiator was Jessie.
Purisima said Pepino used as Bolinao as his “rest and recreation” area where he has built a house in barangay Culang. He had a first wife in Burgos, Pangasinan.
He said the Pepino KFR Group is the umbrella group of several other small KFR groups. Most of their victims are Filipino-Chinese from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
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