Mandaue traffic enforcer collars phone snatcher

CEBU, Philippines – An alleged member of the Ozamis robbery group was arrested by a member of the Traffic Enforcer Agency in Mandaue (TEAM) for snatching a cellular phone in Hernan Cortes St., barangay Banilad, Mandaue City Tuesday.

Efrel 'Tikbong' delos Santos, 24, married, a native of Clarin, Misamis Occidental, and temporarily residing at sitio Tigbao, barangay Talamban, Cebu City was arrested by Danilo Pogoy, a TEAM personnel supervisor.

Santos arrived in Cebu May 28. His wife is from Toledo City. They have two children.

Pogoy was driving his motorcycle along Hernan Cortes Street when he heard Jenalyn Degamo, 22, shout for help. 

Her cellular phone worth P5,000 was just snatched.

Pogoy gave chase after Degamo indicated who snatched her phone.

Delos Santos is being detained at the Casuntingan police station.

Investigative and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB) chief P/Insp. Ramil Morpos said delos Santos could be a member of the notorious Ozamiz robbery group and might have participated in the robbery pulled on Boston Hardware last October 30.

Morpos said delos Santos had worked for three weeks as a construction worker for the company. Morpos said the man worked for half a day last October 30 for the company and might have had a hand in the crime.

The police are waiting for Degamo to file an affidavit so that a formal complaint can be filed against delos Santos. (FREEMAN)