Stolen license plates link cop to market heist

MANILA, Philippines - License plates he reportedly stole from the vehicle of his father-in-law led investigators to a policeman who was allegedly among those who robbed a market in Quezon City Wednesday morning.

Police Officer 1 Jonathan Barredo, formerly with the Highway Patrol Group, was tagged by his estranged father-in-law, identified only as retired Superintendent Felipe in the police report. Barredo surrendered before the HPG’s office in Region 4A on Wednesday afternoon.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Mario dela Vega said the retired police colonel alleged that Barredo stole the NOW-246 license plates of the Mitsubishi Montero owned by his son.

Dela Vega said the father-in-law claimed the rookie policeman, who had gone AWOL (absent without leave), attached it to another Montero that he and his former group recovered from a previous operation.

QCPD Station 1 commander Superintendent Osmundo De Guzman said witnesses saw four armed men leave behind two motorcycles and board the Montero with the stolen license plates. The two motorcycles were seen used by the men who robbed the Suki Market in Barangay Sta. Teresita.

Stall owner Marilou Gubat lost P100,00 during the heist. A security guard wounded during the robbery identified Charlie Mamalayan – arrested in a follow-up operation in Calamba, Laguna – as one of the robbers.

QCPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Neri Ilagan said they recovered from Mamalayan a cell phone stolen from the stall owner and a 9mm Pietro Beretta pistol.

Following Mamalayan’s arrest, policemen went to Tagaytay, where the body of one of their companions, identified only as Daniel, was dumped, Ilagan said. The body was not found.

Mamalayan’s story confirmed a witness account that one of the robbers was shot by policemen.

At a safehouse in Paco, Manila, policemen found photos of a man named Christopher Castillo who was also allegedly part of the gang. – Reinir Padua