The police authorities have launched a region-wide manhunt for the members of the Bohol Robbery Group that has been tagged as the suspects in last Monday’s heist outside La Nueva Supermarket.
As this developed, the police also said that they have established what they believe is the connection of an insider, but they are yet to verify their information.
Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said, “we have established the connections but what we can say is that we have relevant information that there was somebody inside who have tipped off the robbers.”
He said that a region-wide manhunt for the suspects is now ongoing as they hope to make an arrest before filing the charges. There are reports that some of the suspects have been spotted in other areas of Central Visayas.
The police chief said that employers must conduct a thorough background check of job applicants to make sure that they don’t hire people with connections to criminals.
Comendador said that they are still trying to check if that person who tipped the robbers is presently employed by the supermarket or the security agency or is a former employee.
The CCPO is now mulling putting up a reward for information that would lead to the capture of the robbery suspects.
Motorcycle Recovered
A Honda XRM motorcycle with plate number IA-6346 was recovered late Mondayy at Logarta St. and was turned over to the Theft and Robbery Section yesterday.
The police believe that this motorcycle was among the get away vehicles used by the robbers.
The abandoned bike caught the attention of the people since the key was left at the ignition, said Sr. Insp. Alexis Relado, chief of the TRS.
Relado said that the bike was recovered by a team from the Waterfront Police Station.
Records at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) show that the owner of the bike is a man who lives in Sta. Ana, Manila.
Relado, however, said that they are not saying that the motorcycle was used by the robbers, but would be inclined to think so if nobody would claim it.
There are however witnesses, who said that they saw people abandoning the bike and taking a taxi in the area where the motorcycle was recovered.
How Much?
Relado said that the bank is yet to determine the exact amount taken by the robbers as the logbook of Metrobank was among those taken when the robbers grabbed two bags from teller Grace Manlangit after shooting her two security escorts – Procoro Esguerra and Medard Rama.
The two were shot at close range when robbers attacked them as they were about to board the armored car when they left La Nueva Supermarket. The teller was luckily unharmed.
The two security guards remain confined at the Cebu City Medical Center and are hoping to get support from their agency – Mandarin Security Services Inc., for the purchase of medicine according to a radio report.
Under Investigation
Five policemen, including Waterfront Police Station chief Supt. Pedrillo Villamor, will be investigated for their failure to immediately respond if not prevent the robbery.
The two beat patrol policemen assigned to the area have already given their explanation saying that they were in another area of their beat when the incident happened.
Two of the three Tourist Cops, who were detailed near the Magellan’s Cross have also given their explanation.
While the three all signed their attendance record, one said that he was at the office of the AFPSLAI to follow-up his loan application while the other said that he was at the SRP to have his motorcycle checked.
Comendador said that he has already disarmed the three Tourist Cops, but hasn’t relieved them yet due to the lack of personnel.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña however said that assigned from confiscating the firearm issued to the policemen in question, he would also push for their transfer to an assignment outside of the city.
“I have to talk to the police about it. They would be disarmed and transferred but we have to find out all the details,” Osmeña said.
Supt. Pablo Labra, chief of the Anti-Robbery and Thievery Task Force earlier said that they have stationed several policemen in the area after the arrest of four alleged members of the Aldemita Robbery Group in Lapu-Lapu City three weeks ago. Part of the evidences recovered from the suspects was a sketch that detailed several landmarks in the city’s downtown area including La Nueva Supermart. – with Wenna A. Berondo/NLQ