Cops snare 4 suspects in Danao store robbery

Four suspects in the robbery of employees of the Novo Jeans and T-shirts department store in Danao City were arrested, while another surrendered after the police conducted a follow-up operation on the incident that happened last June 19.

A concerned citizen reportedly informed the police of the whereabouts of the suspects, which prompted a team led by SPO1 Luis Perales to conduct a follow-up operation last Saturday.

Arrested were Neil Montes Olivar, 22, single of Suba; Ace Vergel Barel, 20, single of Poblacion; Noel Caputolan Lambojon, 26, single, a pedicab driver of Dungo-an; and Albert Hermita Batulan, 21, single of Cambanay, all of Danao City, while Saldy Saladaga Bayo surrendered to the authorities.

Recovered from the suspects were part of the loot worth P24,500 and the handbag containing the money during the robbery.

Also confiscated from Olivar was a homemade .38 cal. revolver with live bullets, and a handgun from Barel.

The suspects were said to have robbed two employees of the store who were riding in a trisikad on their way to deposit the money in a nearby bank in the afternoon of June 19.

The suspects reportedly waylaid, and at gunpoint, grabbed the bag containing P148,000 from Mary Jane Laguros, 21, the secretary of the said firm and Senedios dela Cerna, 22, the store bagger.

Police reports said that when the trisikad reached a secluded area along Beatriz Village Road in Poblacion, Danao City, two masked men appeared and grabbed the bag from Laguros and Dela Cerna.

The suspects are already detained at the Danao City Police Station waiting for the appropriate charges to be filed against them in court today. - Gregg M. Rubio