3 men linked to Torres group nabbed in Danao

Three alleged members of the Torres/Limotan robbery group fell to provincial policemen in three separate operations since the other day in two barangays of Danao City.

The Provincial Special Operations Group, led by C/Insp. Juanito Enguerra, identified the suspects as brothers Glen "Tito" and Aladdin, both surnamed Jaime, and their brother-in-law Ronilo Nuñez. An informant, who was also the suspects' partner, while in hiding tipped off the police on the whereabouts of the three, Enguerra said.

Tito was arrested at 10pm last Tuesday near his house in barangay Sabang while his brother fell four hours later, at 2am the next day in the same barangay. Nuñez was then caught in barangay Maslog at 4pm, also last Wednesday. Two cars and a motorcycle owned by the suspects were taken into police custody. Enguerra said the arresting team was armed with two warrants, one for robbery with violence and intimidation issued by Judge Generosa Labra and another for robbery in band issued by Judge Jesus dela Peña.

But the suspects' counsel Benedicto Alo questioned the validity of the arrests contending that the names of the three were not specified in the warrants but the police merely linked them to the John Does stated in the documents.

An arrest warrant must be specific he said.

Alo said he would file in court for a writ of habeas corpus to compel the policemen to produce his clients who he said were illegal arrested and detained. But Enguerra said he welcomed Alo's moves adding that the police are waiting for witnesses to identify positively the three suspects as alleged participants in the robberies so that charges would then be filed against them.

The three suspects, upon advice of their lawyer, refused to grant reporters an interview. But Enguerra claimed that, during the tactical interrogation early morning yesterday, the three allegedly admitted some information to the police, the details of which were not divulged yet. Meanwhile, Danny Limotan was formally committed to the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center yesterday afternoon as Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch Chief Paul Labra said he will no longer pursue his plan to recommend Limotan as state witness in robbery cases against Ruel Bernes Torres.

Labra said Limotan also changed his mind and was no longer interested in cooperating with the police.