Cubao rob suspect falls

One of the suspects in the recent heist of the "Martilyo Gang" in Farmers Plaza, Cubao was arrested by the Parañaque City police yesterday.

Southern Police District director Senior Superintendent Jose Gutierrez Sr. said the suspect was caught in Parañaque City during a follow-up operation.

Gutierrez identified the suspect as Aratuc Mangon Culintang, 28, who was cornered by policemen in an operation in Barangay San Antonio, Parañaque.

Culintang is said to be one of the suspects arrested by Northern Police District operatives in connection with the similar heist conducted at the Gotesco Grand Central in Caloocan City early this year.

"He is one of the suspects that have been charged in court and jumped bail," Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez also disclosed that Culintang was with the group which robbed the same mall last week.

The Martilyo Gang is notorious for robbing stores within shopping malls by using hammers to smash the display counters. Their escape is achieved by throwing explosives, such as hand grenades, at crowded areas to cause a commotion that would block pursuing cops.

Gutierrez said a follow-up operation was launched after intelligence report showed Culintang and his group were sighted in his area of jurisdiction.

The same gang have been tagged by the SPD as responsible for at least three similar robberies in Baclaran and Parañaque last year that also resulted to the death and injury of shoppers.

Meanwhile, two suspected members of the dreaded Akyat Bahay robbery gang were arrested in Sta. Mesa, the other day with some P1.9 million in assorted stolen jewelry.

Reports from the Pureza police station identified the arrested suspects as Walter Tuazon, 30, of 4667 Pag-Asa St., V. Mapa, Sta. Mesa; and Alexander Navarro, 41, of 4061 Cordillera St., Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Police reports said the suspects were arrested by members of the Pureza police station while on patrol along the Ramon Magsaysay Avenue last Tuesday afternoon.

According to police, policemen approached the suspects as they were quarreling along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue at about 3 p.m.

Police intervened when the suspects pulled-out fan knives. When frisked, the suspects’ bags were found to contain assorted pieces of jewelry estimated to be worth at least P1.9 million.

Further investigation showed that the suspects last Sunday night, broke into the house of a certain Alajudin Marijon, a jewelry trader at Domingo street in Quezon City. – Mike Frialde