Ricky Cadavero financed Cabando Gang; Slain gang boss led Cebu heists

CEBU, Philippines - Ozamiz robbery group leader Ricky Cadavero, who was killed in Luzon last week, had organized the Cabando robbery group that was involved in a botched heist at a Cebu City mall two years ago.

Supt. Pablo Labra II, head of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 7, said Cadavero, alias Kambal, also financed the group, which was led by Dionisio “Jun-jun” Cabando, now detained at the Cebu City Jail.

Labra said that following his arrest, Cabando confessed during tactical interrogation that it was Cadavero who organized and financed their group.

The group was responsible for the botched heist at the Robinson’s Fuente in September 2011 that left three robbers and two security guards dead.

“And mostly sa mga major robberies in Cebu, Ricky Cadavero’s name came out as the financier,” Labra said in a press conference yesterday.

Cabando, who also hailed from Ozamiz City, was arrested a year after escaping police dragnet with a gunshot wound. His live-in partner, Merly Lobon, was also arrested.

Cadavero is also the suspect in the shooting to death of former Kuratong Baleleng member Fernando Canillo, his live-in partner and their three-year-old son in Lapu-Lapu City in June 2011.

“It was Kambal who actually killed Villanueva in Lapu-Lapu City and ran with the loot. He was identified by Villanueva’s children,” Labra said.

Cadavero, also a member of Kuratong Baleleng, and three others were charged with three counts of murder and one count of frustrated murder.

Police believed the Kuratong Baleleng tracked down Canillo for leaving the gang and taking with him the loot.

With his involvement in several robberies in Cebu, Labra said Cadavero is the number one on their list of wanted personalities in Central Visayas.

“He would just finance, organize the group and identify the target,” the RID-7 chief said.

On July 15, Cadavero and another robbery gang leader, Wilfredo Panogalinga Jr., were shot by their escorts who claimed that the suspects tried to grab their weapons. (FREEMAN)