A 13-year-old girl and her 60-year-old alleged live-in partner, tagged as a leader of an Akyat Bahay robbery gang, were arrested for a foiled robbery in Navotas City before dawn yesterday.
Police Officer 1 Jose Marcelo Deuda of the Navotas City police Station Investigation and Detective Management Branch said the 13-year-old girl was the first to be arrested while her live-in partner, Serafin Adelan, 60, was apprehended in a follow-up operation in Malabon City.
Deuda said that at around 1:30 a.m., the girl broke into the house of Teresita Trinidad, 49, in Barangay North Bay Boulevard North (NBBN) in Navotas.
The girl, aided by Adelan and at least two other unidentified members of his gang, gained entry into Trinidad’s house through its second-floor window, Deuda said.
But while the girl was searching for valuables, Trinidad noticed her presence. Trinidad subdued the girl and brought her to the police station. The girl’s cohorts, who also served as lookouts, escaped.
“The girl is petite so it was easy for Trinidad to apprehend her,” Deuda told The STAR.
At the police station, the girl yielded Trinidad’s cell phone.
She readily admitted the crime to the police and pointed to Adelan as the mastermind and the alleged leader of a four-man robbery group operating in Navotas and adjacent cities.
Navotas City police chief Senior Superintendent Eric Reyes immediately dispatched a team, led by Deuda and Police Officer 1 Allan Torregosa, to effect Adelan’s arrest at his alleged lair on Naval street in Malabon.
Deuda said that the girl and Adelan have been living together for more than two years and have a one-year-old child.
He said that the girl had long wanted to run away from Adelan but was afraid to do so because he threatened to hurt her and their child.
“Adelan could face additional charges, for apart from sexually exploiting the girl, he also uses her in his illegal activity,” Deuda said.
Deuda said the Navotas City police are coordinating with the local social welfare office for the girl’s custody while charges are being prepared against Adelan, who is currently detained in the city police detention cell.