Kuratong baleleng

(Filipino Mafia)Kuratong Baleleng was an organized crime syndicate that once was an anti-communist vigilante group. They were known nationwide due to their end in an alleged shootout with the Police on May 1995 in Quezon City.

For most Filipinos, the Kuratong Baleleng is that notorious group of bank robbers that met a bloody end in a supposed shootout with the police one May morning in 1995 in Quezon City. But down in Ozamiz City, in northwestern Mindanao, Kuratong is said to be well-loved — and well-connected, even if no one denies that it is a criminal syndicate.

Armed with assorted type of high powered firearms and operates in the cities of Ozamiz,Cagayan De Oro, Pagadian and Dipolog, and other neighboring cities and municipalities in Mindanao (in southern Philippines), Cebu in Visayas (in Central Philippines), and Metro Manila in Luzon (in northern Philippines). The group is engaged in robbery/hold-up, car napping, illegal drugs trafficking, smuggling of rice and sugar, Human smuggling, Gun Running, Extortion, Loan sharking, prostitution, illigal gambling, murder for hire, Protection rackets from Politicians,Businessmen and Drug dealers.

The members of the group are on the "BISAYA" speaking Christians, no accurate estimation of the groups number since it has never been infiltrated and fear has become Kuratong Baleleng's most effective weapon.The Kuratong baleleng is the most well organized crime gang in the Philippines, it was rumored that some criminal gangs such as Abu sayyaf got killed without any permission to operate from the Kuratong Baleleng Bosses. "They have no qualms in killing perceived enemies," says a local journalist who asked not to be named. "They are untouchables." This perception is fueled by the fact that authorities refuse to even investigate criminal activities allegedly perpetrated by the group. The gang also has business ties with other Asian gangs such as Japanese Yakuza and The Chinese Triads and the Russian Mafia. The Kuratong baleleng is also known for supplying rebels such as the NPA and Abu sayyaf groups.It was also rumored that the organization has gone International they not operated only in the Philippines but, also some neighboring parts of the nation such as Malaysia,Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the even Saudi and Middle east. [cite news |first=Torres |last=Jose |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Making of a Mindanao Mafia |url=http://www.pcij.org/imag/PublicEye/kuratong.html |work= |publisher=Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism |date=January - March 2003 |accessdate=2008-02-18 ]

1999 PACC Murder case

In 1999, 11 members of Kuratong Baleleng were killed by the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission, led by Panfilo Lacson. In 2003, the High Tribunal ordered the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to try the case against Lacson and 33 other police officials. The trial court however dismissed the criminal case, finding absence of probable cause. The special prosecuting team later moved for new trial before the High Tribunal to remand case to the trial court to present new evidence against Senator Lacson, inter alia. On May 2, 2008, the Supreme Court of the Philippines resolved to take cognizance of the motion of the families of the slain Kuratong Baleleng members for revival of the murder case against police officials and Senator Panfilo Lacson. [ [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/93051/SC-defers-action-on-revival-of-Kuratong-case gmanews.tv/story, SC defers action on revival of Kuratong case] ]

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