Cops out to arrest Cardoza, Imperial

It's time for the police to devote "special attention" to Jemuel Cardoza, alias Roldan Villanueva Rodriguez, and Doroteo Imperial, who were eyed in the series of robberies in the city.

Acting city police director Melvin Gayotin yesterday told The Freeman that he had already directed Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch chief Paul Labra to lead a task force that would hunt down the two suspected robbers.

Cardoza and Imperial have reportedly become the leaders of a robbery group once led by Rey Torres and Danny Limotan, who were now both detained.

Labra yesterday admitted that Cardoza and Imperial have become the "greatest threat" to the city's peace and order, and that they could be more notorious than Torres and Limotan.

"Gahinan na gyud ni sila og higayon tungod kay kani sila aggressive g'yud ni nga mga personality. Mao na gyud ni ang mo-execute," Labra said.

Labra, who led an elite police team that arrested Torres and Limotan in Mindanao few months ago, had told The Freeman that Cardoza is even more aggressive than Torres in terms of plan execution.

Cardoza and Imperial were first tagged in the robbery of a moneychanger in Mabolo two weeks ago. In that robbery, they were believed to have carted away at least P200,000.

Two days after the Mabolo incident, Cardoza was tagged as the one who led the second robbery of East-West Bank on September 26. Although Imperial was not among those identified as suspects, the police did not discount the possibility that he was part in the heist.

Cardoza was charged for that latest bank robbery along with Junard Saladaga, Vlademir "Cocoy" Gamanay and Nando Abapo, who were said to be remnants of the Torres-Limotan robbery group, which was tagged in the first robbery of the bank in January.

Originally, Imperial was not part of the Torres-Limotan robbery group. Few months ago, he was eyed in the robbery of a moneychanger along V. Rama Street.

Upon his arrest in Talisay City, Imperial was positively identified by at least 50 Turkish moneylenders as the one who robbed them. But he then gained temporary liberty by posting bail.

Today, the Theft and Robbery Section will file a robbery case against Imperial and Cardoza after they were positively identified as among the four men who robbed a fish vendor of P70,000 in barangay Capitol Site on Tuesday.

The police are not discounting the possibility that Cardoza and Imperial are also responsible for the recent robberies in the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Danao. - Ryan P. Borinaga