Six rob suspects arrested in Navotas

Navotas police operatives bagged six robbery holdup suspects,including their alleged leader and financier, while in a pot session in Navotas over the weekend.

Navotas police commander Superintendent Roberto Villanueva identified the suspects as Daniel Castro, 18; Erwin Ramillo; Roberto Ocampo, 24; Roldan Fariolen, 19, all single, jobless and residents of Lichangco street, North Bay Boulevard North (NBBN) and Rolando Roque, 24, single, jobless and resident of 31-A Salambao Street, Obando, Bulacan.

Probers said Castro tagged one Joel Tinga alias Joel Negro (no address indicated) as the leader and financier. Tinga was arrested at around 10:05 Sunday morning in a follow-up operation led by SPO4 Mario Arlas using Castro as "pointer". Recovered from Tinga were an unlicensed 12-gauge shotgun and one round of live ammunition. Several empty wallets and bags believed to belong to previous victims were also found in his possession.

At the NPD investigation room, suspect Castro and Ramillo were positively identified by holdup victim Antonio Evangelista as the ones who divested him of an 18K gold ring worth P2,500, a Citizen watch worth P2,000 and cash amounting to about P3,000.

NPD director Senior Superintendent Vidal Querol said other victims were being contacted and advised to proceed to the Navotas police station to identify the suspects who have been charged and are now detained at the town’s detention cell.

Meanwhile, an alleged deep-rooted grudge led to the fatal shooting of a construction worker in a billiard hall in Sta. Mesa the other night.

Police identified the victim as Eduardo Ferrer Minintigan, of 326 Parcel St., Sta. Mesa, Manila and the suspects as Herman Faller and a certain "Nino," of Sta. Mesa, Manila. The suspects, who fled after the incident, are now being tracked down by police. — Jerry Botial, Mike Frialde and Nestor Etolle