Money changer rob gang tagged in cop killings

Two arrested money exchange shop robbers are now being linked by witnesses to the killing of two Manila policemen in Sta. Cruz in 2005 and the rob-slay of a fireman in Malate last Sept. 8.

Pedro Rodica, alias Bradd Galea, 23, of the Philippine Guardian Brotherhood Inc. Batangas chapter, is the subject of an alias warrant issued on March 3, 2006 by Judge Romulo Lopez of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 34, according to Manila police intelligence division chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula.

Rodica has been tagged by witnesses as one of several armed men who robbed the delivery van of a money exchange shop of more than P6 million in Sta. Cruz, Manila last year, Sapitula added.

During the heist, two Manila policemen who escorted the van, SPO3 Ricardo Roxas and one PO2 Napolis, were gunned down by the group.

Meanwhile, two witnesses surfaced yesterday and identified Cpl. Juanito Boton (not Castillano as earlier reported) as one of two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle who robbed and shot dead Senior Fire Officer 1 Ramon Camero on Sept. 8 at the corner of Quirino Avenue and Adriatico streets.

Camero, who also moonlighted as a courier of a money remittance center, was on board his motorbike when the suspects waylaid him. After shooting him, the suspects took P59,000 from his pocket and a caliber .38 revolver. The suspects failed to get more than P200,000 hidden in the victim’s belt bag.

According to officer-on-case SPO1 Richard Lumbad, the slug and the spent shell recovered from the crime scene were matched with the caliber .45 pistols recovered from the suspects. Result of the examination was not yet available as of press time.

Theft and Robbery Section commander Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr. confirmed that the gang behind the series of heists on money exchange shops could had earned hundreds of millions since it became active last year. So far, five money exchange shop victims have come forward to positively identify the two suspects, he added.

The two were arrested by the police last Thursday afternoon at the corner of M.H. del Pilar and Pedro Gil streets in Ermita on board two stolen motorcycles. Two unlicensed caliber .45 pistols with loaded magazines were recovered from them.

The suspects were tagged as part of the seven-man robbery gang composed of retired and active soldiers responsible for a series of heists on money exchange shops in Manila and nearby cities.

The gang is reportedly headed by a civilian. Arevalo, however, refused to divulge the identity of the leader since a team of operatives are now tracking down the other members of the group.

As this developed, the two suspects in MPD’s custody, including five John Does, are now facing four counts of robbery, vehicle theft and illegal possession of firearms.

"More charges are expected to be filed against them until we get the statements of the witnesses," Arevalo said.