5 restaurant robbers arrested in Cainta

Five members of a robbery gang preying on customers of famous restaurants patronized by wealthy Filipino and Chinese businessmen were arrested in Cainta yesterday.

The arrest of the five suspects came after no less than President Arroyo expressed concern over the rash of robberies in restaurants not only in Metro Manila but also in the provinces.

The San Juan police identified the suspects as Reynante Salvacion, 23, and Emerito Lague, 34 both of Makati City; Dexter Sarrem, 29 of Caloocan City; Gino Mahinay of Cainta, Rizal and Jay Canlas of Manila.

The suspects were arrested during a raid at the Minabalay Bar and Grille restaurant in Cainta, Rizal at about 1:10 a.m. yesterday, said Superintendent Rodrigo de Gracia, San Juan police chief.

De Gracia said they confiscated from the suspects two Armalite rifles with nine fully-loaded magazines, four caliber .38 revolvers, eight car plates and assorted tools for carnapping. Three stolen cars — a maroon Honda Civic, green ToyotaRevo and green Nissan Sentra taxi — were seized from the suspects.

According to De Gracia, the five suspects were positively identified by Mario Oropa, company driver and Gerardo Macawili, security guard as the same men who robbed the Mann Hann restaurant along P. Guevarra St., in Barangay Little Baguio, San Juan last June 4.

It was not known whether the police recovered the loot and the firearms used in the series of robberies.

The Star learned that the suspects will be presented before President Arroyo in Malacañang by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. today. — Non Alquitran