Manhunt on for 3 cops in POGO robbery

MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) yesterday ordered the arrest of three policemen who allegedly robbed the employees of a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) in Muntinlupa on Aug. 11.

PO1 Ryan John Mercado and Cpl. Michael Rikk Carpena of the NCRPO and S/Sgt. April Nikko Faelnar of the Southern Police District are at large while their alleged accomplice, POGO driver Angelo Perlota, was arrested, according to NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas.

Mercado and Carpena were earlier reported as having gone AWOL or absent without official leave while Faelnar is still in active service. Mercado went AWOL after failing a drug test, the NCRPO said.

Mercado and Carpena were described in the NCRPO report as former PNP personnel.

Perlota went outside the gate of the POGO’s compound, located on Ibarra street in Rizal Village, Alabang, at around noon. As he was about to enter the gate, seven persons barged into the compound, disarmed the security guard and introduced themselves as National Bureau of Investigation agents, the NCRPO reported.

The seven then reportedly went to a room housing the closed-circuit television mainframe and grabbed the hard drive where the CCTV footages were stored.

They then robbed the POGO’s employees – Chinese nationals Feng Lei, Dong Bao Long, Li Bing, Yu Hang, Zhai Wei, Xheng Ping, Yi Tongtong, Buyi Hao, Xin Ping, Lu Yonglong, Yang Yanlu, He Guang Ba, Huang Xing Liao, He Lou, Li Yung, Zhang Linyu; and Filipinos Eric Jorolan, Marivic Satol, Marlyn Magno, Ma. Fe de Ocampo, Alexander Farinas and Benedict Carces – of personal belongings worth around P827,000.

Two diamond rings, three high-end cell phones, an iPad Pro tablet and P490,000 in cash were taken.

Sinas said he ordered the NCRPO to check whether the three suspects are still in active service.

“Those active in service shall be disarmed and turned over to Muntinlupa City police station. Likewise, coordination with the security officer of the POGO on other security matters is being  conducted,” he said.

Perlota faces a charge of robbery before the Muntinlupa court.