Armed man, peddler, ‘notorious thief’ fall

CEBU, Philippines - Police collared an armed man and a female suspected drug peddler in an operation in Sitio Magay, Barangay Tanke, Talisay City on Wednesday afternoon.

The suspects were identified as Jowely Fernandez, 30, single, and Genesa Cabangca, 33, married, both residents of said place.

Concerned citizens who saw Fernandez with a firearm reported the latter to the police.

When authorities responded, Fernandez scampered to a house where they saw Cabangca arranging drug packs, purportedly for selling.

Police cornered the two and were able to seize an improvised shotgun with live ammunition from Fernandez and a medium pack and 10 small sachets of suspected shabu from Cabangca.

The confiscated illegal drugs were estimated to be worth P47,200.

Senior Superintendent Germano Mallari, chief of Talisay City police, said the suspects did not show resistance during their arrest.

The suspects were brought to Talisay City Police Station and placed behind bars, pending the filing of appropriate charges against them.

Still in Talisay City, a “notorious” thief who earlier victimized a factory worker was apprehended by the police in the hot pursuit operation in Sitio Mananga II, Barangay Tabunok on Wednesday morning.

Police identified the suspect as Rodulfo Mancao, 40, married, and temporarily residing at the said place but is a native of Davao City.

Senior Police Officer 1 Mikie Espina said the suspect's modus operandi involved sticking bubble gum on his prey's hair.

Before the hot pursuit, a certain Sheila Lyn Recta, 26, resident of Barangay Kinasang-an-Pardo, Cebu City, had sought police help, claiming she was robbed by two persons. She later identified the suspects through the images on the rouges gallery.

Recta told the police that she was then onboard jeepney heading for work in Minglanilla town when the suspects allegedly pretended to be passengers and informed her that her hair had bubble gum on it.

This had prompted Recta to remove it. But without knowing, the suspects were already stirring up her bag until they were able to cart away her cellular phone worth P35,000.

The suspects disembarked and were nowhere to be found.

Espina and his colleagues immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation and successfully located the suspect and recovered the stolen item.

He said they will file charges against the suspect.

He added that Mancao has been tagged in several robbery incidents before. The suspect still has pending cases in the court. His cohort, a certain “Allan,” remained at large as of press time.

As a warning, Espina told city residents to be more vigilant while out in public places.  (FREEMAN)