QCPD chief wants no bail for ‘recidivist criminals’

MANILA, Philippines - The case of 23-year-old suspected robber Jonathan Cuya, who has been on the police radar since his teens, has prompted a police official to propose not granting bail to recidivist criminals.

“The law should have more teeth against these notorious gangs,” said Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, director of the Quezon City Police District.

“There are so many cases of recidivist criminals always able to get out of jail. There’s something wrong (in that setup),” he said.

Cuya was arrested on Wednesday along with four other members of his alleged robbery gang while on vacation at a resort in Olongapo City following a robbery in Quezon City on Monday.

Cuya and the other arrested suspects underwent inquest proceedings for illegal possession of firearms and explosives and robbery in band.

His last arrest was in June last year when he was caught in possession of a car allegedly stolen from a house they had allegedly robbed.

But QCPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Procopio Lipana revealed that he had encountered Cuya when he was still chief of police of San Juan City in 2009.

Cuya is 23 years old and it would make him a teenager in 2009.

“He’s only 23 years now. At what age did he actually start?” Albano asked.

“Maybe we could ask Congress about this so these criminals would not be able to repeatedly get out of jail every time they get arrested,” he said.

Albano proposed that a higher bail bond be imposed on certain offenses or even make them non-bailable. He said the cases filed against Cuya are robbery in band and yet he is able to get out of jail easily by posting bail.

“If certain cases are non-bailable, do you think they would be able to easily get out?” Albano asked.

The latest robbery attributed to Cuya and his group was the one at the house of the Ver family on Monday. The victims identified the suspects from the QCPD rogues’ gallery.

An informant’s tip to policemen on the location of the suspects in Olongapo City led to their arrest on Wednesday morning.