NBI launches manhunt for 5 payroll heist suspects

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) launched yesterday a manhunt against five persons allegedly involved in robbing Department of Education (DepEd) transporting their payroll in Marikina City in December 2009.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring identified the five suspects as Marlon Altizio, Romeo Tiamson, Jojo Gicole, Ada, and Jun-Jun.

Earlier this week, the NBI arrested suspects Albert Mata, 27; Freddie Saldana, 31; and Cipriano Cabujal Jr., executive officer of Barangay Concepcion I, Marikina and charged for the robbery and for allegedly killing two of their cohorts, Allan Bilbao and Abraham “Eric” Gicole, in a double-cross gone awry.

The bodies of Bilbao and Eric were dug up in San Mateo, Rizal and Concepcion I, Marikina, respectively, after the three arrested suspects were interrogated.

The NBI also recovered some of the P4.9 million stolen payroll, a car and a motorcycle used in the robbery, Mantaring said.

The NBI said Eric, Gicole’s brother, was a casual DepEd employee. He was driving the van, occupied by DepEd employees who were transporting the P4.9 million intended for the Christmas bonus of teachers in Rizal province, when the robbery took place on Dec. 28, 2009.

The NBI said Eric reportedly planned the robbery. Eric, Mata and Saldana fought over the unequal distribution of the loot, investigators said.

Eric, his brother, and the group of Saldana, Altizio, Tiamson and Cabujal reportedly kidnapped Mata and Bilbao and brought them to a safehouse in San Mateo, the NBI said. According to reports, Eric killed Bilbao, burned his body and buried it in Monterey subdivision. Mata, however, escaped.

The killing of Bilbao angered Altizio and his group, who planned to get even with Eric. When they arranged a meeting with Eric in Marikina, Mata slashed Eric’s throat with a jungle bolo and buried him in Tumana.

The NBI said Saldana and Mata confessed to their participation in the killings.