QC robber identified in Taytay pawnshop heist

MANILA, Philippines - One of the “dwarves” arrested by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Tuesday for allegedly digging a tunnel into a pawnshop has been identified as a suspect in a similar incident in Taytay, Rizal last month.

A witness identified Ortiz Latungan as one of the suspects in the successful heist at the CVM Pawnshop and Money Changer in Barangay Dolores, Taytay on Dec. 16, 2013, Inspector Alan dela Cruz, chief of the QCPD theft and robbery section, said yesterday.

Latungan was among eight suspects – earlier described by the police as “Snow White and the seven dwarves” – caught digging a hole in the ground leading to the nearby Ochoa Realica pawnshop in Barangay Commonwealth on Tuesday.

The others were identified as Cecile Ibanez, Eric Secyang, Arthur Bino, Laurence Doyau, Tarex Tayaban, Ruben Sebnagen, and Elmo Bustarde.

The operation was staged after their alleged gang leader, Teddy Castro, was arrested in Parañaque City Sunday and told police investigators about their activities.

Following the arrest of the eight suspects, Dela Cruz said investigators from the Taytay police went to QCPD to check if they could identify anyone from the CVM pawnshop heist.

The officer said a tricycle driver identified Latungan as the person who came out of a sewer near the Taytay pawnshop carrying bags of loot last December. 

The eight suspects were charged with robbery in band, illegal possession of explosives, possession of picklocks, and malicious mischief charges before the city prosecutor’s office Tuesday night.

The additional cases were filed after police confiscated from them two hand grenades, a hydraulic jack, two hand drills, two crowbars, a headlamp, a liquefied petroleum gas tank with burner, and a portable electric fan with lamp.

Dela Cruz said additional charges for violating the anti-alias law were filed against Ibanez, Secyang, Tayaban, and Bustarde.