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Waray-Waray gangs (also known as Waray-Waray groups) are generic terms used in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
to denote of criminal groups who are of Waray ethnicity. They originated from provinces
Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has be ...
and
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
where the majority are of Waray background, later spreading into
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. Most of their criminal activities involved
armed robber Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the per ...
ies, but various other gangs have also dabbled in
kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
, carnapping, gun running, assassinations,
gang warfare A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collecti ...
, and
narcotics The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiate ...
sale. Their bloody confrontations with the police made them the most notorious gang in the Philippines.Bulaong, Louis. ''Bandido: The Story of the Most Notorious Filipino Gang''. August 30, 2020. Afterword, pp. 121-122.


History

Although Waray-speaking criminals have been documented in Luzon since the 1990s, it wasn't until 1997 where they first started being called Waray-Waray gangs. August 27, 2015 In that year, a Waray-Waray gang kidnapped Chinese-Filipino Virgilio and Christine Chua and their maid Analyn Simbajon. The case was dubbed by the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) as the longest trial in the history of kidnap-for-ransom cases in the country. In 2001, a policeman by the name of Superintendent Eugenio Casalme was killed by a Waray-Waray gang during a hold-up of a bus on route to
Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
. He was one of the passengers at that time, and when the gang members noticed his police uniform, they shot him in the chest and neck. In 2002, the house of actor and future politician
Sonny Parsons Parsons Agliam Nabiula Jr. (August 22, 1958 – May 10, 2020), known professionally as Sonny Parsons, was a Filipino actor, singer, director and politician in the Philippines. He was a member of Hagibis, an all-male sing-and-dance group in the la ...
was burglarized by a Waray-Waray gang. They tied him and his own family in their house and almost raped his two daughters. The actor managed to trick the gang into thinking that patrolmen were roaming around the neighborhood, which would make their escape more difficult if they stayed longer. As the gang hastily retreated, Parson got off his bindings, grabbed a pistol and shot at the suspects as they were escaping, killing three of them. July 19, 2002 In one of the bloodiest robberies in Philippine history, the Waray-Abuyog Gang shot and killed three policemen and a traffic enforcer on April 13, 2002. An unknown van parked itself in the vicinity of a community precinct in Meycauayan, Bulacan, in which a group of armed men wearing military uniforms came out. The gunmen started firing their assault rifles on the police station, killing some while wounding and scattering the others before escaping in their van. Investigators later found out that this was just a diversion. The robbers were actually robbing a large jewelry store in downtown Meycauayan, but they first attacked the precinct not only to take out the cops inside that might respond to the robbery, but also to lure the other policemen into this area while they escape with the loot. Many were killed and captured afterwards a month later. May 8, 2002 In 2003–2004, Waray-Waray kidnap gangs started targeting prominent Chinese-Filipino businessmen in several kidnapping cases. Victims include businesswoman Dominga Chu, and Coca-Cola Export Corp. finance manager Betti Chua Sy. The latter died from her injuries while in custody of the gang. A 10-year-old named Martin Guevarra was also kidnapped by gang leader Arnel Suellen. Six more abductions took place, in which each of the families paid P2 million in ransom. At this time, the National Bureau of Investigation named them "the most active kidnap gang in the country", and even got to the point where President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
herself ordered a new crackdown after their series of kidnappings for ransom. February 16, 2004 Many of these gang members were from
Jaro, Leyte Jaro (IPA: haɾo, officially the Municipality of Jaro ( war, Bungto han Jaro; tl, Bayan ng Jaro), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,758 people. History In ...
. The same year also saw a gunfight between members of a Waray group known as the Sudoy-Sudoy Gang, and the combined forces of the Central Police District (CPD) and a Special Weapons And Tactics (
SWAT In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
) team. Five gang members were killed. They were responsible for a P9-million robbery of an armored van robbery on April 5 at the SM City Annex on North EDSA in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
. October 12, 2004 In 2006, Noel Enacmal, leader of the Waray-Waray Kidnap For Ransom (KFR), was captured in Barangay Mali,
San Mateo, Rizal San Mateo, officially the Municipality of San Mateo ( tgl, Bayan ng San Mateo), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 273,306. It is bordered by Quezon City to t ...
. June 28, 2006 He and his group were responsible for the abduction of some 20 people and a string of armed robberies, such as the kidnapping of Betti Chua Sy and the P60,000 payroll robbery in
Cubao, Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
.


Bloodiest years

2008 was the bloodiest year committed by the gangs. In Laguna Hills Subdivision,
Rizal Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal ( fil, Lalawigan ng Rizal), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about east of Manila. The province is named after Jos� ...
, three Waray-Waray gang members were killed in a shootout followed by three other more who were captured. This specific gang was notorious for highway robberies, extortion, “ akyat-bahay” and the sale of illegal drugs. January 30, 2008 Additionally, six Waray gang members were killed in a confrontation with the police in
Tondo, Manila Tondo is a district located in Manila, Philippines. It is the largest in terms of area and population of Manila's sixteen districts, with a Census-estimated 631,313 people in 2015 and consists of two congressional districts. It is also the seco ...
. April 27, 2008 Two civilians were also killed in the shootout. In December of that year, a Waray-Waray gang fought the police in a running gun battle in a subdivision in
Parañaque Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 689,992 people. It is ...
that led to the deaths of 16 people. The police were tailing the criminals in a suburb when suddenly, the latter started firing M16 rifles fitted with grenade launchers. Twelve gang members, a
Special Action Force The Special Action Force (SAF) is the elite unit of the Philippine National Police founded by Fidel V. Ramos, later the twelfth president of the Philippines. History Formed on May 12, 1983, by the now-defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) as t ...
personnel, a barangay tanod and two civilians including a 7-year-old girl, were killed. On the same year, two unidentified members of a Waray robbery gang were killed early morning in an encounter with policemen in
Caloocan Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
. The unit who fought the gang was composed of NCR-CIDG, ISAFP, and Caloocan police. Chief Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez believed that the group was also involved in the recent gunbattle Parañaque, as well as an armored van robbery in the
University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 20 ...
. December 8, 2008 In 2009, the Waray-Ozamiz Gang robbed a
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
n national named William Yeo, who owned a moneychanger shop in
Ermita, Manila Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city ...
. Three of them were later captured by the police, and among the weapons recovered were two undocumented .45 caliber pistols, a .9mm Intratec machine pistol,
M-16 The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of service rifle, military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States Armed Forces, United States military. The original M16 rifle was a ...
Baby Armalite, two 12-gauge shotguns, three fragmentation grenades, six rifle grenades and two M203 40mm grenade launcher. March 21, 2009 In 2011, Parañaque witnessed another shootout in a middle-class subdivision where three members of a Waray-Waray robbery gang and a policeman were killed. June 9, 2011 The year 2012 saw the murder of Robert Edward Armstrong, an American tourist, during a 7/11 robbery that was committed by a Waray-Waray gang. September 25, 2012 The American was killed as he tried to escape. The police retaliated by killing 3 Waray criminals in separate shootouts, and arresting 5 more, with alleged help from
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice ...
agents. In November 2012, two Waray-Waray gangsters were killed in a shootout with the PNP-CIDG in
San Fernando, Pampanga San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Sampernandu; fil, Lungsod ng San Fernando), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a p ...
. In 2013, two leaders of a Waray-Waray robbery group were captured by the NBI in the same city. They were responsible for a series of robberies of banks and moneychanger shops as well as murder. Another leader, Noli del Monti from
Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
, escaped. May 13, 2013 On the same year, three members of the Ozamis-Waray-Waray group were killed during a shootout with law enforcement in a police checkpoint in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
. June 21, 2013 Police said an intelligence report revealed that the three were planning to rob a pawnshop after a failed attempt to carry out an abduction.


Philippine Drug War

By 2014 however, congressmen submitted House Bill No. 3691 which would make it illegal to name gangs after ethnicity, place, or religion due to
racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagoni ...
. January 7, 2015Bill filed to stop naming rob gangs after hometowns
/ref> However, the name and gangs of Waray ethnicity still persisted. In 2015 for example, Waray-Waray gang leader Jobert Española was murdered by unknown assailants in Binondo, Manila. March 3, 2015 He was once convicted of killing policeman SPO2 Nestor Dela Cruz. The year 2017 saw the individual capture of two Waray-Waray gang members in Caloocan and Valenzuela. This particular group had robbed two Indian nationals, and a Colt M1911 was recovered on one of them. September 8, 2017 However, there has been a resurgence in modern times of criminals and gangs who were inspired, and took their name, from previous Waray-Waray gangs. This include a local vigilante gang from Tacloban known as OG Imba: Waray-Waray Gang, who became infamous for their
gang warfare A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collecti ...
. August 1, 2020 They were also one of the premiere vigilante groups in Rodrigo Duterte's War on Drugs. September 2, 2020 In 2018, remnant Waray gangs were reported by Chief Supt. Edward Caranza as gun-for-hire that targeted local chief executives and potential political candidates. Six of them were killed in a shootout with the police in a buy-bust operation during the height of the Philippine Drug War, in Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez town of Rizal. October 10, 2018 They were also involved in carnapping and robbery cases. A number of Waray criminals were targeted between the years 2019-2020 starting with the killing of Jason Cada on June 3, 2019. A year later, SPO3 Francisco Homeres Jr. was killed in an ambush in Abucay. August 2020 became the bloodiest month of the year, with five murders including former policemen. Those killed include Jason Golong, Pio Peñaflor and his son Alphy Peñaflor, Dennis Monteza and Constantino Torre. On the night of December 5, 2020, two members of a Waray-Waray group were killed in a police operation in Quezon City. The members were part of a
gun-running Arms trafficking or gunrunning is the illicit trade of contraband small arms and ammunition, which constitutes part of a broad range of illegal activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations. The illegal trade of small arm ...
and gun-for-hire group who also partake in drug-dealing and kidnapping. One of those killed, Jhonny Radaza, was a former convict. A month later, four more members were killed in a rescue operation with the police after kidnapping a Chinese national.


Ties to the Philippine Army

Some of the members of the Waray-Waray gangs were former or active soldiers of the
Philippine Army The Philippine Army (PA) (Tagalog: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas''; in literal English: ''Army of the Ground of the Philippines''; in literal Spanish: ''Ejército de la Tierra de la Filipinas'') is the main, oldest and largest branch of the ...
, including Eliseo Barres, Alfredo Mondares and Army Cpl. Pelagio Royera. It even came to the point where the police started investigating whether the army and the gangs have ties to each other due to the amount of high-caliber weapons and explosives recovered from these gangs. Most members however, were only thugs who had street training.


Infamous gangs

Many Waray-Waray gangs are differentiated from each other through unique names, primary activities, ethnicity or place of origin. Some of the most notorious are: * Waray-Waray Kidnap-For-Ransom Gang (aka Waray-Waray KDP) * Waray-Abuyog Gang * Waray-Ozamis Gang * Sudoy-Sudoy Gang * OG Imba


Legacy

The heyday of the Waray-Waray gangs gave birth to the negative stereotypical belief in the Philippines that the Waray people are a violent ethnic group compared to others. In an opinion column for a newspaper written on July 25, 2011, Prof. Gerry B. De Cadiz of the
Eastern Visayas State University The Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU; Filipino: ''Pamantasang Pampamahalaan ng Silangang Visayas''; Waray: ''Unibersidad han Sinirangan Bisayas'') is a regional state higher education institution in Tacloban City, Philippines. It is the o ...
condemned the actions of the Waray-Waray gangs and their effect on the image of the Waray people. He stated, "Much to our embarrassment, being brave or mag-isog has been perceived by the nation to be associated with brutality, callousness and getting involved in criminality. So that the periodic broadcast in national networks and publication in widely-circulated broadsheets of the notorious activities of the so-called Waray-Waray Gang moulded an image so repulsive and damaging to the dignity of both prominent and ordinary Waray." July 25–31, 2011 The popular
ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...
show '' S.O.C.O.: Scene of the Crime Operatives'' aired an episode in December 2016 entitled "SOCO: Waray Abuyog Gang Strikes Terror in Meycauayan, Bulacan" that depicted the bloody shootout and heist in Meycauayan. The Parañaque shootout was featured in an episode of '' Case Unclosed'' entitled "The December Shootout". The 2000 action film ''Waray'' starring Gary Estrada, Daisy Reyes and
Gino Antonio Gino Antonio (born Jack Badon) is a former Filipino actor. Life and career Antonio came from a family of farmers. He started as a lifeguard before becoming a model and actor. He was identified with bold movies together with Vida Verde, Joy Sumil ...
depicted a Waray-Waray gang. It told the story of a group of young Waray in South Manila who came to the city in search of a better life. The film depicted them as being daring and defiant who often rob to help the poor, creating themselves an image of modern-day
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...
s. On one faithful day, they made the mistake of kidnapping the daughter of a powerful politician who owned a private army, which led to shootouts and killings between the two parties.Waray (2000) Worldcat
/ref>


References


See also

* Illegal firearm trade in the Philippines {{Organized crime groups in Asia Philippine Drug War Organized crime groups in the Philippines Filipino robbers Street gangs Military history of the Philippines Gangs in the Philippines