ILOILO – Four heists in 30 days. The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) is not discounting the possibility that remnants of robbery groups dismantled in recent years were behind the robbery incidents.
But so far, according to Police Colonel Gilbert Gorero, police provincial director, “Based on our latest information, there are no organized robbery groups.”
“Basi mga bag-ohanon kag na tsambahan lang nila. Pero may mga tikang na kita nga gina himo,” said Gorero.
The most recent robbery was carried out on Monday, Aug. 9. It victimized two retailers of a tobacco company in Barangay Maasin, Passi City.
Gorero said the four suspects arrested hours after were different from last month’s two robbery cases in the towns of Pototan and Calinog.
The four were Maneleo Orbeta, 31, of Barangay Rizal Ilawod, Calinog; Ijie Sortigosa, 20, and Ian Morales, 34, both of Barangay Maasin, Passi City; and Dexter Magbanua, 33, of Barangay Man-it, Passi City.
They were identified by Jerry Villarito, 44, of Dumangas, Iloilo and Joebert Paguntalan of Oton, Iloilo who were robbed at gunpoint around 9 a.m.
The two men lost their P29,000 collection.
The four suspects were arrested in a hot pursuit operation of the Passi City police. The P29,000 cash recovered, a cellular phone and a 12-gauge shot gun.
CONNECTED?
Gorero confirmed that two of the four suspects in the Passi City case (he declined to specify who) were suspects, too, in the robbery of a money lending company in Barangay Topol Oeste, Cabatuan, Iloilo on Aug. 5.
The two were identified by victim Dixter Genodepa, 25, of Serrano Street, Cabatuan.
The motorcycle-driving Genodepa was blocked by two armed men also on a motorcycle Thursday last week. Two other men allegedly served as lookouts.
He lost to the men a bag containing his P60,000 collection.
The two motorcycle-riding men were eventually caught and taken to the Cabatuan police station.
The Passi City police subsequently filed a robbery complaint.
The Passi City case was the fourth robbery incident in just a month in the province.
The first was on July 10; two men carted away P1.5 million from a remittance center in Calinog town.
Police said an accomplice with a motorcycle was apparently waiting outside.
The police had already identified one of the two suspects.
On July 29, two employees of a cargo express were robbed by three armed men in Barangay Rumang, Pototan town.
The two were supposed to deposit money in a bank in Pototan. While their motorcycle was moving, two of the three suspects crossed the road then suddenly pulled the back rider’s backpack containing money.
A day after, one suspect was identified – 32-year-old Lancer Peña of Barangay Carmelo, Banate town. He was arrested there.
Peña was positively identified by witnesses. A robbery case was filed against him.
“Magkaiba ang suspects sa Calinog kag sa Pototan robbery. We are assessing them and we are monitoring other members,” Gorero said.
Earlier, the Police Regional Office 6 directed all city and provincial police directors down to municipal police chiefs to harden their monitoring against “developing” robbery groups in their areas.
To curb robberies, criminals and wanted persons must be kept track of, according to Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, police regional director.
“The police should also coordinate with financial institutions in their area of assignments,” Miranda added.
Areas that are “high risk” or “prone” to robbery, especially those near financial institutions, should also be identified./PN
