Gang members nabbed for robbing relative

CEBU, Philippines – Three alleged members of a known street gang were arrested for allegedly robbing a cell phone technician, who happened to be their relative and friend, of the items that he was supposed to fix in Sitio Neighborhood, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City yesterday dawn.

Jeffrey Nargas, 26, a cellphone technician in Tabunok and a resident of Sitio Kimba, Barangay Cansojong, accused his cousins, Eduardo and Dennis Villaro and Rogelito Rabadon, all residents of Sitio Neighborhood and alleged members of "Crips" of robbing him of four units of cell phones all worth P6,250.

The suspects were arrested after a resident reported to the Talisay City Police Office that someone was being robbed in their neighborhood.

PO1 Cecilo Reyes, PO1 Vincent Mary Arboladora and PO1 Rogelio Gutang Jr. immediately responded to the area and apprehended the three gang members.

During a body search, police recovered two sticks of marijuana and a Nokia 3310 cell phone from Eduardo, another two sticks of marijuana and one Nokia 6600 cell phone from Dennis while Rabadon yielded four sticks of marijuana.

Rabadon admitted that Nargas is their friend and that on Wednesday they had drinking spree at the latter's house. He added that he was the one who bought the food that they ate during their drinking spree while Nargas was the one who provided their drinks.

Rabadon however pointed to Eduardo and Dennis as the ones who planned the robbery. But the two denied Rabadon's claims and instead accused him as the one who masterminded it.

SPO1 Oliver Dacua, duty desk officer of the Talisay City Police, said Nargas accused the three as the ones who robbed him. The victim said it was Eduardo who pointed a gun at him while Dennis and Rabadon were the ones who divested him of the cell phones that he was supposed to fix.

After the incident, Nargas immediately ran away from the suspects and climbed the fence of one of the houses and asked for help because he was afraid Eduardo would kill him.

Meanwhile, Chona Balansag, 28, of Sitio Kimba, Barangay San Roque also went to the police office yesterday morning and pointed to the three suspects as the ones who also robbed her last Tuesday evening in Sitio Blanner, Barangay Tabunok.

Balansag said she just came from a drugstore in Tabunok and boarded a tricycle going home. She said she was sitting on the front seat beside a student from the Tabunok Night High School. Upon reaching the corner of Blanner, the three alleged robbers boarded the tricycle with two of them sat on the backseat while the other one sat at the back of the driver.

A few meters away, the suspects declared a holdup and divested Balansag of her cash amounting to P6,000 and her mobile phone worth P5,800.

Balansag claimed it was Rabadon who pointed a knife at her side while Eduardo pointed a gun at her.

The victim said she asked money from the robbers for her fare. She added she was able to recognize the face of Dennis because she looked at his face while he handed her P17 coins. With Brenda Batuto of Banat News (FREEMAN)