Parañaque bank rob suspect falls

The Parañaque City police have captured one of five suspected members of the Kuratong Baleleng Gang (KBG) tagged in robbing a Union Bank branch of P400,000 last Nov. 24.

Superintendent Ronald Estilles, city police chief, said their week-long surveillance paid off last Tuesday afternoon, resulting in the apprehension of Ramil Pacana, 29, a native of Ozamis City, and a resident of 23 Zapote Uno, Bacoor, Cavite.

"Pacana was positively identified by one of the depositors and bank security guard Roberto Sangco as the man who punched them during the heist," Estilles said.

Five armed men entered the Union Bank branch in La Huerta past noon last Nov. 24 and took cash from the counters as well as the cellular phones of clients and bank tellers. It was the fifth bank heist committed in Parañaque this year.

With Pacana’s capture, the police is declaring the case closed. They are set to file robbery charges against the suspect and wait for a judge to issue a warrant of arrest for the four other remnants of the Kuratong Baleleng Gang, led by Noel Inacmal.

An informant told local police that Pacana could often be seen on Electrical Road in Pasay City. "He was very generous. He was always taking friends out to drinking sprees. But whenever he got drunk, he would boast about his escapades," Estilles said.

For almost a week, police operatives conducted a stake out in Pasay City after learning he was usually there from midnight to 3 a.m. When police finally collared him at around 4:30 p.m. last Tuesday, he did not put up any resistance.

"During our investigation, he denied participation in the Nov. 24 bank robbery. However, he admitted to being part of the group that robbed the Prudential Bank in Evacom in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City last Feb. 12," Estilles said.

The police chief added they were able to apprehend him based on the strength of a warrant. They learned Judge Francisco Mendiola, of Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 115 issued a warrant for his arrest for frustrated murder.