4 nabbed for snatching Bello’s phone

MANILA, Philippines — Police arrested on Sunday four minors for snatching the cellular phone of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III near the Manila city hall.

The first two minors were nabbed in Quiapo, according to Maj. Joselito de Ocampo, chief of the Manila Police District theft and robbery section.

De Ocampo said the suspects were members of the JD robbery group whose leader eluded arrest.

The group was reportedly responsible for a series of robberies in Manila.

Bello’s iPhone 11 was snatched near the Manila city hall and Mehan Garden on Friday afternoon as he was in his car. He had opened his car window to get a stronger phone signal.

The two suspects admitted that they ordered a 15-year-old boy to snatch Bello’s mobile phone.

Police said a follow-up operation in Malabon led to the arrest of two other minors.

The suspects were previously detained on robbery charges, except for the 15-year-old boy.

The suspects said they sold the cell phone for P25,000 to Omar Marohom Sidic, who owns a shop in Quiapo.

Sidic then sold the phone to a woman for P34,000. The woman said she did not know that it was stolen.

Sidic returned the money to the buyer to recover Bello’s phone.

Sidic was also apprehended by police for violation of the anti-fencing law.

Bello offered jobs to the minors.

He did not press charges against the suspects, to give them a chance to reform.