‘Mastermind’ of recent Cebu robberies arrested

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested yesterday the alleged mastermind of a local robbery group responsible of at least three recent crimes in Cebu City.

Rogelio Acojeda, an Air Force reservist, was arrested yesterday along M.J. Cuenco Avenue.

Acojeda is reportedly the brains behind the robberies in Barangays Inayawan and Talamban last Saturday and the shooting to death of a real estate broker in Barangay Banilad in December 2.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, who heads City Intelligence Branch of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said Acojeda was identified as the mastermind and leader of a four-man group, which included Sandy Kho.

Kho, who was arrested last Monday in an anti-carnapping operation in Lapu-lapu City, revealed in his extrajudicial confession the names of Acojeda and their two other cohorts, said Santander.

Acojeda was riding a taxicab with two female companions at past 11 a.m. yesterday when personnel of the Special Weapons and Tactics team apprehended him.

He was seized with a caliber .45 pistol and a hand grenade.

Earlier in the day, the CCPO received information from the Lapu-Lapu City Police that the suspect was armed with a gun and was heading towards Cebu City.

Melchor Abellanida, driver of the Yen Taxi which had the suspect on board, said he was transporting Acojedo and his two female companions towards Cebu City when he heard a loud thud at the back of his vehicle.

"Pag-abot namo sa may Queensland dapit, naa'y nilagubo sa luyo. Paglili nako, gidakop na siya," said Abellanida.

Abellanida cleared his name, since police initially thought he was working with Acojeda.

"Driver ra intawon ko. Pamugas ning ako," said Abellanida, a resident of Barangay Apas.

He said Acojeda and his companions hailed his cab outside a mall in Mactan and told him to bring them to the office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in R. Landon St.

Acojeda said he wanted to go to the said office to clear his name since he thought that it was the PDEA who raided his house earlier this week.

Acojeda, when interviewed, claimed that he is a real estate broker, an Air Force reservist and also a lay minister so it's impossible for him to commit any crimes.

"Tungod ra na sa ilang kasuko nako kay nag-file ko og carnapping case against nila," he said, referring to Kho.

He also said he does not own the weapons allegedly confiscated from him, adding that the police would not be able to find his fingerprints there.

Acojeda is now detained and will face charges on Monday.- /ATO (FREEMAN)