Three men rob coop of P80-T

Three men robbed a cooperative along Junquera Street yesterday afternoon even as police warned banks in and business establishments to be extra careful because of an intelligence report that a robbery group is set to strike anytime.

Police said the men who robbed the Cebu People's Development Cooperative yesterday afternoon was the same group that pulled off the Eastwest heist, as the motorcycle used in the getaway was a black and red Honda TMX 155, similar to the one used in the bank robbery.

The robbers allegedly made off with almost P80,000 cash and a laptop computer while two employees lost P5,800 in personal money.

Junnie Salvador, the guard on duty said that at past 4 p.m. as he opened the door because an employee went out, one robber immediately rushed in, pointed a gun at him, got his .38 cal. revolver and pushed him to the floor.

Two other men then hurried inside, prompting provincial operations head Mario Baylosis to retreat to the conference room. But just as he was about to lock the door, one armed robber saw him and they struggled until the gun went off and hit the robber's right leg.

As this was happening the other robber was emptying the drawers and vaults money.

The robbers did not bother getting back at Baylosis and were last seen on the motorcycle along to the stretch of P. Del Rosario Extension heading for the new Imus Road.

The recent bank robbery -the second time for Eastwest bank this year- was considered a great failure by the police since perpetrators managed to get away with only P73,000.

Charged for the recent bank robbery the other day were Jemuel Cardoza alias Roldan Villanueva, Junard Saladaga, Nando Abapo and Vlademir "Cocoy" Gamanay. This was the same group blamed for the robbery of the same bank last January where Ruel Torres and Danny Limotan reportedly got almost P.5 million.

Limotan and Torres were arrested in Mindanao by a seven-man team led by Criminal Investigation and Intelligence chief Paul Labra last July and are now detained at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation.

Yesterday Labra named Vice Control Section chief George Ylanan as his deputy in the newly-formed Task Force Villanueva Imperial to focus on pursuing Cardoza and Doroteo Imperial who are said to have led the group after Torres. - Ryan P. Borinaga