Mindanao politician behind Pasig mall heist?

MANILA, Philippines - Members of a Mindanao politician’s private army are allegedly the ones who staged a P550,000 robbery at the Robinson’s East mall in Pasig City on June 22, according to a Philippine National Police (PNP) report.

The private army, reportedly headed by a certain “Boy Pikot,” operates not only in Metro Manila but also in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.

Intelligence agents of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are working together to neutralize the politician and his army, who are reportedly planning more robberies to finance the politician’s reelection bid, the report stated.

The politician is often seen in public, accompanied by members of his militia brandishing high-powered assault rifles.

According to the report, the politician’s army used modus operandi employed by the Kuratong Baleleng and the Parojinog robbery groups to mislead investigators.

The report stated that two days after the robbery, two of the politician’s militiamen – identified only as Rene and Bayani – brought the loot to Misamis Occidental in a roll-on, roll-off barge.

Other members of the politician’s army met the pair at the Misamis Occidental pier on board a black Navarra pickup with a number 8 license plate and an L-300 van driven by a certain Rowel, the report said.

The group proceeded to Tangub City before motoring to their stronghold in Zamboanga del Sur, where the “loot” was handed over to Boy Pikot for “distribution to the players” in the Robinson’s East robbery.

Police and military intelligence agents have already identified several of the politician’s men and are working to secure warrants for their arrest, the report stated.