Cop in robbery-holdup nabbed in Quezon

A policeman tagged as the leader of a robbery group operating in Quezon province was arrested Friday during a raid in his residence at San Narciso town.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad said the suspect, SPO1 Bernardo Bañares yielded two stolen Honda Wave and MCX motorcycles which his gang used in their robbery operations.

Palad said the police raiders were armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Cesar Mangrobang when they swooped down at Bañares’ residence in Barangay Bayanan, in San Narciso town.

A separate raid at Bañares’ rented house in Rosario, Gumaca town yielded an unlicensed .30 caliber Carbine and two hand grenades.

The Calabarzon police director vowed to go hard against Bañares and make him suffer for his illegal act.

 “The days of policemen like Bañares who are placing the PNP in a bad light are numbered. There is no room for them in our organization,” said Palad. “We are supposed to be the protector of the people. Our personnel engaged in carnapping, robbery and holdup are far worst than the ordinary criminal. They deserve the harshest punishment.”

Palad ordered Bañares disarmed and the filing of carnapping, robbery-holdup, illegal possession and other appropriate criminal and administrative charges against him.

Bañares, 53, is assigned with the Gumaca Police Station.

Before his assignment, he was with the Finance and Supply Section of San Narciso Police Station.

Before the incidence of the twin raids, a certain Victor Fontamillas voluntarily surrendered to Superintendent Remilo Bamba, the deputy chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division and confessed to his participation in robbery-holdup cases in Quezon.