2 alleged burglars who preyed on schools fall

CEBU, Philippines - Two persons tagged as responsible for the series of burglaries of public elementary schools in Carmen town were arrested by the police with the assistance of barangay officials in Barangay Corte last Tuesday morning.

The suspects, who are presently detained at the town’s police station detention cell, are identified as Christopher Berot and Marcelito Pisao, both residents of the area.

The suspects were presented by Carmen Police Chief, Inspector Carlos Reyes, Jr. to Mayor Sonia Q. Pua during the Bisita sa Barangay in Cantumog. One of the suspects companion identified as Rodrigo Borasca, also resident of Barangay Corte was able to elude arrest.

In an interview, Reyes told The FREEMAN that the three suspects are tagged as responsible for the series of sari-sari store burglaries in the mountain barangays of Cantumog, Upper Natimao-an, Cantipay and Cantucong.

Recently, school principals of Cantumong Elementary School, Upper Natimao-an Elementary School, Cantipay Elementary School and Cantucong Elementary School have complained that they lost school properties including computers and DVDs.

Last Monday evening, the canteen of Saint Benedict Monastery in barangay Corte was also ransacked by unknown persons prompting the police with the assistance of barangay officials to conduct surveillance.

Cogon barangay captain Virgilio Escuton and Reyes received information on the presence of the suspects in Sitio Kanang-kaan. When they rushed to the place, they cornered and arrested Berot and Pisao.

Police confiscated assorted school equipment and other accessories believed to be part of the loot from the suspects.

Pua lauded the elements of the Carmen Police Station for the arrest of the perpetrators and solution of the crime. — Jose P. Sollano and Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc/WAB   (THE FREEMAN)