Lending firm heist: Robbery group members charged

CEBU, Philippines – Two of the three alleged members of the Casimero "Meloy" Garcia robbery group are facing charges for robbery before the Regional Trial Court for victimizing a lending firm that caters to members of the Philippine National Police.

Shyrell Ostia of Guiwanon, Baclayan, Bohol and Alberto Toregosa of Magtangtang, Danao, Bohol are facing three counts of robbery while John Nuez of Poblacion, San Miguel, Bohol asked for preliminary investigation and executed a waiver of detention.

Prosecutor Ernesto Narido, Jr. recommended a bail of P300,000 each for Ostia and Torregosa. Nuez is given 10 days to file his counter-affidavit and submit other evidence to controvert the charges against him.

In a joint affidavit, Maridel Oblema and Josefina Sanchez, sales coordinators of Pulis Kapit-Bisig Inc. located at 258, Chua Compound, Uytengzo St. Barangay Sambag 1 said that their firm is engaged in lending business which caters mostly to members of Philippine National Police (PNP).

They said that on October 11 at around 7:30 p.m. two men went to their office, identified themselves as members of PNP and inquired about the loan procedure.

When Oblema asked for their PNP I.D. and latest pay slip, the two pulled out a gun instead from the brown envelope they were carrying and declared a hold-up.

The two immediately closed the windows and the door and ransacked the drawers. They even looked at the bags of Oblema and Sanchez.

According to Sanchez, Ostia and Toregosa took money amounting to P113,100 and other valuables.

Sanchez added that the men warned them not to go out of the office otherwise they would plant a bomb at the door.

But when Sanchez saw the two were already near the main gate of the compound, she screamed for help.

Minutes later, Sanchez heard gunshots. She later learned that PO3 Osorio Ramiso Jr., who is detailed at the Police Regional Office 7 and was staying at the same compound, had a shootout with the robbers.

Ramiso chased and fired at the fleeing suspects, who also fired back at him.

The motorcycle that the robbers used crashed after traveling a few meters, forcing the two men to take separate taxis.

The police arrested Torregosa at the Cebu City Medical Center, where he sought treatment for a gunshot wound on the left side of his chest. The security guards of the CCMC were the ones who called the police.

Ostia was captured at the Miller General Hospital along Tres de Abril St. He also had a gunshot wound on the left side of his chest.

Nuez served as lookout and was arrested in the same compound where the heist took place. The police found the driver's license of Ricliz Navarro inside the U box of the getaway motorcycle.

The police went to Navarro, a resident of Barangay Tisa, who said that his motorcycle was rented by a certain Jorge for P400.

Navarro said that Jorge, who was later identified as Nuez, was with two men who identified themselves as policemen.

He added that Nuez later went to him to inform him that the motorcycle was impounded after they were apprehended by traffic personnel.

Navarro accompanied the police to Nuez at his boarding house where the latter was arrested. (FREEMAN)