Bahala Na Gang

The Bahala Na Gang was established in the early 1940s in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines, by Divino Talastas, a native of Bulacan who was born in early 1920s and who later moved with his siblings to Sampaloc.

Before the forming of the Bahala Na Gang, Divino had a brother known as "Emong" who at an early age of 13–14 was most feared in the area, known for his fighting skill, and was notorious for targeting and killing police officers. This was rooted from his early trouble with the police, when he was arrested and tortured (including the use of electricity on his genitals), allegedly in order to secure his conviction. When Emong was released, he became the top enemy for the police and soon, numerous murdered policemen followed and terror ensued. However, the authorities eventually found his whereabouts and shot him dead at the age of 15. A 5-year-old half brother witnessed how his brother's dead body moved while gunshots continued to hit the dead body — an overkilled job (this little boy, son from the second marriage of his father Pedro, eventually became one of the most famous political TV/Radio Political and Historical Commentator during the 80s and 90s) who spoke the event. The event would have an impact to Emong's siblings, including Divino (Diving as what he was known in the area). After Emong's death, there was a struggle for territorial power as to who would lead. Another gang tried to take control: the Sige-Sige Gang. This was the Golden Period of Philippine Street Gangs. To match with the existing Sige-Sige Gang, Divino formed the Bahala Na Gang, whose name he took from the existing night bar in Sampaloc, the "Bahala Na Bar." A place known as a meeting place for tough guys around the area. This was where Diving gained a reputation for his fighting skill. A man who was only 5'6, quiet, really soft pleasant face, but when he fights, even with numerous men, everything he touch would fly, he was a good fighter. He earned the respect within the criminal group. The earliest members were hardcore street fighters who were loyal to Emong. The main goal is merely to protect them from terror from other gangs. Sampaloc at one time was The Talastas and Talastas was The Sampaloc. As years passed by, the BNG spread throughout the Islands, and often members never knew who founded the gang in the first place. There was never a rule to follow on how to join the gang. The gang spread like fire and eventually many members of the gang were doing all kinds of criminal activities. Divino himself was a regular to Iwahig Prison, and whenever he would reside there, he held a top position among inmates, as their "mayor". Before he died, Divino himself told his story to few people he knew as he reached his old age. He died in the early 1980s. He was abducted, and his body was later found inside a sack floating in a river. There was evidence of torture and most likely suffered a painful slow death, believed to be in connection with some kind of 'unfinished job' he made for one influential person of power.[1]

Originally formed in the Philippines, the Bahala Na spread to Filipino immigrant communities in the United States, especially California. Bahala Na Gang sets emerged throughout the San Diego area, Los Angeles area, San Jose, San Francisco Bay area, Stockton, Sacramento as well as the Las Vegas area in Nevada

Older members are generally in their 50s and form much of the organization's base. Younger members, however, are the ones most likely to commit violent acts to prove themselves, often forming the muscle of much of the gang's drug and weapons trafficking activities.[2] Outside of drug and weapon trafficking rings gang, members are involved in murder, robbery and kidnapping among others.[3]

Since President Rodrigo Duterte started his drug war in 2016, the Bahala Na Gang became one of the highly sought-after criminal groups in the conflict. On August 17, 2017, 25 alleged criminals were killed in separate police shootouts and drug busts, one of them a member of the gang.[4] A gang member was also gunned down in a Manila street on April 18, 2019.[5] In June 2020, gang members Robert Yabut y Marmol and Raymart Yabut y Marmol, were captured in a buy-bust operation together with members of the Sputnik gang.[6]

• Waray-Waray gangs