CEBU, Philippines – It took just a little over 24 hours for the proverbial long arm of the law to catch one of the suspects in the robbery of Banco Maximo in Mandaue City the other day.
The police arrested Michael Labora, 31 of B. Rodriguez St., barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City, past 1 p.m. yesterday, or about 24 hours and 45 minutes since the heist.
He was arrested by operatives of the Investigative and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB) led by Insp. Ramil Morpos at the residence of his common law wife in barangay Upper Tabok , Mandaue City.
The arrest of Labora was made possible due to a tip from a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network.
The suspect was also positively identified by the eleven-year-old witness, who was playing in the vicinity of the bank when the robbery took place.
The bank's bookkeeper also tagged Labora as the person, who waited outside with the two getaway motorcycles.
Morpos said that his informant tipped him about four men who arrived in Upper Tabok around 2 p.m. last Thursday on board two black motorcycles, which matched the description of those used by the robbers to flee the bank located in barangay Guizo.
The informant also told the police that the four men bought bottles of beer from a nearby store, but just left them on top of the table and they proceeded to the basement of the house of Labora's live-in partner where they slept.
At around 2 a.m. yesterday, three men left the place while Labora was left behind.
The police went to the place at around 1:45 p.m. while Labora was cleaning and tinkling with his motorcycle.
He was invited for questioning and his motorcycle was also brought to the headquarters of the Mandaue City Police Office.
Shortly after Labora was brought to the police headquarters, six witnesses including the three bank employees and the guard also went there along with Chief Insp. Abraham Ocampo and tagged the suspect.
It was the 11-year-old boy, who immediately made the identification.
Marichu Entienza, the bookkeeper, also positively identified Labora.
She said that although they were asked to lie face down on the floor by the three men, who entered the bank, she was able to glance outside and saw Labora through the glass door.
MCPO director Noel Gillamac said that with the arrest of Labora, they have solved the case.
Labora, however, vehemently denied taking part in the heist where a total of P30,000 was taken from the bank.
He said that he was in the house of his live-in partner and they were asleep at the time the robbery happened, which was shortly before 1 p.m.
He also said that the said motorcycle that was in his possession is registered under the name of his mother and was used by his stepfather last Thursday.
He also said that the police did not find the plate number on the motorcycle when they saw him as he took it off while cleaning the vehicle.
He said that he pleaded that he be allowed to show the plate number, but he was already brought to the MCPO headquarters.
PO3 Jeffrey Diola of the Theft and Robbery section of the Cebu City Police Office, who coordinated with MCPO, said that Labora was released three months ago from the Cebu City Jail after he was involved in a carnapping case, which Labora admitted.
The suspect also confirmed that he once worked as mechanic for the late Cresistomo 'Tata Negro' Llaguno, who was alleged to be a drug dealer. Llaguno was gunned down while campaigning for his bid to become a Cebu City Councilor last May.
Morpos said that aside from the money, the robbers also took with them the cellular phones of the victims. /NLQ (FREEMAN)