Rob suspects nabbed through FB vacation photos

MANILA, Philippines - Using photos of alleged robber Jonathan Cuya and his group posted on Facebook, policemen tailed the gang to a resort in Olongapo City where they had gone to relax following a heist in Quezon City.

With a long stretch of resorts and only a tip on the general location of the suspects, policemen had to examine the photos they saw on the Facebook account.

“We even had to look at rock formations in their photos,” Inspector Alan dela Cruz, who headed the police team that arrested Cuya and four of his cohorts at the 101 Diamond beach resort Wednesday, told The STAR.

Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said the group went to the beach resort in Olongapo following the robbery in Barangay Immaculate Concepcion on Monday.

It was the second arrest for 23-year-old Cuya, who had apparently posted bail since the first time he was collared back in June last year while in a car stolen from a house they allegedly robbed. At that time, more than 10 robberies had been attributed to the group.

Albano said policemen also arrested Cuya’s brother Jose Jr., 25; Michael Tolentino, 19; Martin Lalata, 27, and Rodolfo Lalata Jr., 23.

Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo, head of the QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, said Cuya and other members of the group were tagged in the robbery at the house of the Ver family on Monday morning.

The robbers hogtied Jesus Ver and nine other members of the household before ransacking the house and taking cash and valuables worth around P2 million.

Following the robbery at the Ver household, the victims managed to identify members of the group from the QCPD’s rogues’ gallery.

Sunbathing, jet ski rides

According to Dela Cruz, they received a tip from an informant that members of the group were enjoying the onset of summer. “With their loot, the group managed to pay for their accommodation in the resort,” Albano said during a press conference.

“They (gang members) were sunbathing and enjoying jet ski rides,” Albano said, expressing disgust over the luxury enjoyed by the suspects, apparently from the money they got from their latest heist.

Dela Cruz said the group rented two beach houses and jet skis.

He said police officers went to Olongapo’s coastline and took their own photos, comparing them with those taken by Cuya’s group. When the background matched, they knew they found the gang’s location.

Dela Cruz said they saw in the area a Hyundai van identified as a getaway vehicle during the robbery at the Ver residence. Just before 7 a.m. Wednesday, a member of the group emerged from one of the beach houses.

Policemen used a warrant of arrest issued against Cuya in October for yet another robbery in Quezon City, said QCPD deputy director operations Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana.

Lipana said policemen also seized from the group several pistols – a Colt .380 stolen from Ver, a Ruger P89 and a Pietro Berretta .9mm – as well as a hand grenade, a Mitsubishi Lancer and the Hyundai van.