Robbery suspect confesses

CEBU, Philippines - The botched P6 million-jewelry heist and the arrest of four suspects Tuesday afternoon has given the police a break through in many other celebrated cases.

This as one of the four suspects confessed their involvement in several high-profile robberies in Cebu City.

Frederick Ybañez, 38, of Ozamiz City told the reporters yesterday that he is a member of the group of Roy Quimada that has been tagged responsible for several cases.

Ybañez claimed that he was one of the eight people, who robbed Oro Sugbo and Agencia Anne pawnshops along Magallanes Street in in May 2008.

In that heist, they escaped 10 million from and he got a share of P200,000, Ybañez said. He also alleged that Quimada was the mastermind of that robbery.

He also claimed involvement in the robbery of Golden Treasure jewelry store where their loot totaled P1 million and he got P15,000 as his share.

Other robberies that he also claimed involvement in was that at Fooda Savers Mart where they got P108,000 and he earned P3,500; JP Dental Supply where they got P1.3 million and he got P60,000; a money changer at a mall where the loot was P1.5 million and he got P70,000.

The robbery of a money changer in another mall where they got P70,000 and he earned P3,000; and the robbery of the LBC branch at a mall in the Banilad area where they got P70,000 and he again got P3,000.

Also arrested along with Ybañez were Noel Davis, 44, of Ludo Subdivision, Panabo, Davao City; Jeromy Polistico, 34, of Clarin, Misamis Oriental; and Kirby Abanilla, 25, of barangay Pasil, Cebu City. 

Abanilla is believed to be the group’s local contact.

They were arrested after a brief chase last Tuesday when they tried to take off with P6.2 million worth of jewelry from Jennifer de la Cerna, a jewely dealer outside a fast food outlet at corner F. Llamas St. and N. Bacalso Ave., Basak, Cebu City.

The four were on board a black Mitsubishi Adventure, which was intercepted when they were caught in a traffic jam at Tres de Abril St., Labangon.

Ybañez also tagged Jennifer Enriquez, who returned the jewelry to de la Cerna shortly before the heist as involved in the robbery.

He alleged that he and Quimada, who was with his lawyer, met Enriquez at a coffee shop in Banawa, Guadalupe last Sunday.

Ybañez alleged that it was Enriquez, who gave them information about the jewelry that she was returning to de la Cerna.

Enriquez, who was taken into custody by the police, has denied the accusations against her.

She however reportedly said that she was surprised to find out that the lawyer defending her in an estafa case is also the lawyer of Quimada.

A fifth participant in the heist, a certain Junjun Gamanay, according to Ybañez was able to flee as he was on board a motorcycle.

Ybañez added that he was recruited by his friends named Badodo and Jimmy Espina in 2007. Both of his friends who recruited him are already dead after they were shot by the police officers in Makati, Metro Manila.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) also found out that there are two pending warrants of arrest against Ybañez issued by Judge Estela Alma Singco of Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 12 Cebu City for two cases in Talisay City.

He revealed that after they would rob establishments in Cebu City, they would split up and head to different pension houses and motels to avoid detection.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comnendador, director of the CCPO, said that they will evaluate the allegations of Ybañez and would also investigate Quimada and his lawyer aside from Enriquez.

He also said that the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) will be sending a team from Manila to check the suspects, who are also believed to be involved in similar incidents in the National Capital Region.

Comendador also said that Quimada has filed a case against Sr. Insp. Michael Bastes, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) of CCPO, for dragging his name as one of the suspects in the Fooda Savers Mart robbery.

Ybañez said that they got the police uniforms used in Fooda Savers Mart robbery from the Waray-waray Group, also noted for a string of robberies in Manila.

The CCPO director said that this is a major accomplishment of the police officers in Cebu City.

“Napi-angan jud ang grupo ni Roy Quimada ani, human nasikop ang iyang mga membro,” Comendador said.

He added that he will submit a letter of request to Police Regional Office (PRO-7) to give commendation to the barangay tanods in Punta Princesa who helped the police officers in arresting the suspects.

Police officers in Punta Princesa will also get commendations and will be recommended to get special spot promotions.

Meanwhile, Sr. Insp. Gilberto Abellar, Punta Princesa police station chief, thanked the barangay tanods of Punta Princesa for helping them arrest the suspects. — /NLQ (THE FREEMAN)