Robbers in Talisay shootout tagged for pawnshop heists

CEBU, Philippines - The robbers who figured in a shootout with the Talisay police Wednesay morning are the allegedly the same suspects responsible for robbing M. Lhuillier pawnshop in Talisay City and M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala in Naga City.

Police have been tracking down the suspects after Marlou Caparida, who was killed in a shootout with the police, was positively identified by a witness as one of those who robbed M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala in Naga City last June 5.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said they collated information and found that both robberies had the same execution. With this, Comendador created a task force two weeks ago to go after the suspects.

Supt. Elmer Lim, Talisay City police chief, said that they have been monitoring the suspects until the encounter last Wednesday dawn.

Caparida, 25, together with Sulpicio Tarden, 24, and Joel Generalao, 22, exchanged gunfire with the police during a follow-up operation after victimizing a student.

Caparida was fatally shot and died at the Talisay City District Hospital while Tarden was arrested. Generalao eluded arrest.

Lim said that the suspects are armed robbers operating in the southern area of metro Cebu. The group has five to six members who are also engaged in “akyat bahay”.

Last May 8, M. Lhuillier pawnshop in Talisay City lost about P50,000 to P100,000 cash to two armed robbers onboard a motorcycle.

A month after, employees were surprised when a person whom they thought was a customer suddenly aimed a gun to a teller and demanded for cash. However, robbers carted only P3,000 cash.

Robbers calmly left the scene as if nothing happened and boarded a passenger multicab.

Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 Director, Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo said the arrest of Tarden and the death of Caparida would reduce the number of crimes in the metro Cebu south area.

“There is no reason we cannot solve crimes as long as there is cooperation with the community and police could work and protect our strong points like the business establishments,”Garbo said.  (FREEMAN)