Marikina shootout: Award eyed for slain guard; robber identified

MANILA, Philippines - The Marikina City police is studying what award can be given to a security guard who was killed when he chased after four men who robbed a fastfood restaurant Wednesday, an official said yesterday.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Reynaldo Jagmis cited Jerico Belarmino for his “exemplary bravery and devotion to duty.”

Belarmino, 27, was disarmed by four robbers who went into the restaurant in Barangay Concepcion Dos. He slipped out of the restaurant and borrowed the service firearm of another guard at a nearby convenience store.

He traded shots with the robbers as they fled to a gasoline station. The gun jammed, and one of the robbers went back and shot him in the head.

Meanwhile, one of the robbers who was killed by police officers who responded to the restaurant robbery has been identified by investigators.

A police team is looking into the background of Dan Anthony Contado, 24, of Camarin, Caloocan City, in order to identify his companions during the heist, Jagmis said.

He said Contado’s partner claimed his body at the morgue yesterday but “chose to remain silent on his background.”

More heists planned

Superintendent Remus Medina, Eastern Police District intelligence chief, said they warned other police stations of possible robberies planned by Contado’s gang, based on text messages on his cell phone.

“The suspects are not from eastern Metro Manila but strike here in our jurisdiction, victimizing fastfood chains,” he said. “With the death of Contado they would lie low for a while but we will continue hunting them down.”

Contado’s three companions escaped in a taxi, which they abandoned several kilometers from the restaurant.

Medina said they will show Contado’s photo to workers and customers of at least five fastfood restaurants in Marikina and Pasig that had been robbed over the past month.