2 men nabbed for robbing trader of P3 million

MANILA, Philippines - Two of the six robbery suspects who allegedly robbed a Bulacan trader of some P3 million in cash, jewelry and appliances last month were arrested in Malabon City Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Villanueva, Malabon City police chief, identified the suspects as Constantino Bore, 26, and his cohort identified only as alias “Baculot.”

“My men chanced upon the two suspects while supposedly casing another target here in Malabon at around 6 p.m.,” Villanueva told The STAR.

Bore, who is on the “watchlist” of the Malabon City police for his alleged involvement in a string of robberies in the area, yielded an unlicensed, loaded .38 caliber revolver.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the Aug. 19 robbery at the house of Bocaue, Bulacan businesswoman Lorenza Fabian, 64.

Villanueva said that in a follow-up operation at Bore’s house, his men recovered Fabian’s safety vault, which reportedly previously contained P3 million; the victim’s television set and a laptop.

“The victim’s son… positively identified that the recovered items belonged to them but the money was already gone,” Villanueva said.

According to Villanueva, the group’s leader is a local police officer, whose vehicle was seen by the Fabians’ neighbors parked near the victim’s house during the alleged robbery.

Villanueva said they have already identified the police officer, while the other suspects were only known through their aliases – a certain Tawerts, Roland and JayR.

“This is a notorious robbery gang but we are now closing in on their cop leader,” Villanueva said.

The arrested suspects and the recovered stolen items were turned over yesterday by the Malabon City police to the Bocaue, Bulacan police “for proper disposition,” Villanueva said.  – Pete Laude