Some 12 hours after the robbery, members of the Caloocan City police collared Diosdado Mellomida Jr., 29, of the Protector Services Inc., detailed as guard for a UnionBank armored van and resident of 28 Osmeña Street, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City.
Recovered from the suspect was P103,000 in cash, the guard’s share of the loot.
Meanwhile, Station Investigation and Detection Management Bureau (SIDMB) chief Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo and his men who nabbed Mellomida, are now hot on the trail of the group’s members including the leader identified as Probationary Lieutenant Ed Sumang of the Philippine Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM). It was gathered that Mellomida has just graduated last September 26, in the ARESCOM. Both Sumang and Mellomida are reservists.
Borromeo said Mellomida’s connivance in the robbery was confirmed after Sumang sent him text messages arranging for his part of the loot.
"During investigation, I checked his cellular phone. It just happened that Sumang, the suspected brains, sent messages by text asking for his whereabouts so, I played along and answered him back. We exchanged several messages that’s why he could not deny his involvement," Borromeo said. The officer added he immediately cast doubt on Mellomida because the gang leader, who allegedly poked the gun on the guards, took their cell phones but did not take Mellomida’s.
The text messages showed how Mellomida was to get his share of the P600,000 loot the group carted away from the robbery which happened around 6 p.m. Tuesday while the UnionBank armored van picked up deposits from client Mercury Drug Store at the mall. During the heist, Mellomida acted as one of the victims while the robbers led by Sumang stripped the van of its cash.
Senior Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, city police chief, told The STAR that they never knew of the heist until the van driven by security guard Mario Maturan, 33, of the Leopard Security Agency and Mellomida’s partner, after the robbery, parked in front of the Police Precinct 3 and reported the incident. By then, Sumang had allegedly escaped with the rest of the loot on board a white Starex van.
The possibility that the same group was behind the Metro Rail Transit Kamuning station armored van heist last Monday, where a security guard was killed, is still being investigated.
In a presentation before the media, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco commended Mantele and his men including Borromeo, for making quick work of cracking the case. Velasco also cited Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. for implementing strict security measures in his jurisdiction.
Velasco has ordered a massive manhunt for Sumang and the rest of the gang. He also reminded the business establishments to be wary of hiring their employees whose backgrounds are virtually unknown.
"Bank robbers usually employ insiders to get critical information to successfully pull the heists. Investigation later lead back to employees of the robbed establishments," Velasco said.
Velasco also reminded security agencies to be careful and more strict in screening their applicants and thoroughly check their backgrounds.
"No establishments in Metro Manila can afford not to have guards. This is the reason why security guard-members of the Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operators (PADPAO) have been tapped as the NCRPO’s "force multipliers," Velasco said. – with Pete Laude