Philippines’ “Face Off” ( The two faces of Crime )

Philippines’ “Face Off” ( The two faces of Crime ) is not a new movie in the Philippine islands but a real life story. It is the story of the recent news about the notorious robbery gang responsible for the robberies at the Park Trade center in Alabang, and at the ATM booth at the South Luzon Expressway, both in Muntinlupa City; Suy Sing warehouse and gas depot, both in Paranaque city; ATM booth inside the North Luzon Expressway in Pampanga; a shopping mall in Harrison Plaza, Manila; Walter Mart shopping center in Quezon City; Semicon building in Pasig City and the Greenbelt 5 mall in Makati city.

Reports said the gang is well equipped and has plenty of logistics as shown by the recovered items which also include one box of drilling tool set; one Ethernet switch; seventeen rolls of communication wires; two taxi tags; a taxi meter; eight pieces assorted tools; one crow bar, a drilling machine; three radios and phone charger; one headset; one wire stripper; eight “BITAG” polo shirt; two “BOMB SQUAD” shirts; two Police Blue Shirts; three Police general office attire (GOA) Uniform (Upper); two Police GOA Pants; four Tactical Pants; two black slacks; four pairs Tactical (Combat) Shoes; four black bonnets; five gun holsters; two Ranger hats; three Police caps and two sets of gloves, M-14 rifle, an M-16 armalite rifle with M-203, grenade launcher, 16 pieces of M-203 grenade, two 12 gauge shotguns, pistols and ammunitions.
The lawmen also recovered several bullet proof vest, a bolt cutter and sledgehammer tools used in opening safes and steel cages.

Gang leader, Alvin Flores’ “face-Off” drama started when he contracted a certain Dr. Dominador Pedracio, a licensed cosmetic surgeon and owner of Clinica de Antipolo, It was Dr Pedracio who operated Flores and altered his features. Dr. Pedracio added that a three-man team of surgeons operated on Flores who underwent a nose lift, a temporal uplift and eyelid surgery.

Alvin Flores was so clever to have a thinking such as this. He hid himself as John Carlo Cruz Chavez, fooled the surgeon to be a closet homosexual, and had told him that he wanted to have his features altered so that he would look more feminine. These criminals do not only carry high caliber firearms but are also highly skilled with their crafts which made them successful in most of their operations.

These unscrupulous schemes of the criminals had made some of the lawmen to be dumb. These criminals have high levels of wit with regards to the tactics they thought, carefully planned and wisely executed that made the policemen even dumber. Saddening that many lives were snatched from their loved ones, where dreams of the innocents were lost, what is left is broken lives and wasted dreams.

If these law enforcers will only do what whey are supposed to do. If they are just responsible, enough to be more skilled, enthusiastic, and be highly spirited with their oath then more of their actions would be more successful to stop the works of these lawless men.

Ruel Lasala, NBI deputy director for intelligence services (DDIS), said no charges would be filed against Dr. Dominador Pedracio, and that he could not be held liable because he was unaware that the latter was a wanted man.

Alvin Flores on his real life “Face-off” drama didn’t last long because his wish to hide his true identity lasted only for some time. He was operated on September 30 and was shot dead in Cebu City on October 30, 2009.

Watch some of the video clips – SORRY No English News available