Suspect in Pasil robbery charged

The man suspected of robbing a fish dealer in barangay Pasil last Friday was indicted yesterday by the Theft and Robbery Section as well as those suspected of being involved in the heist.

The TRS filed robbery charges against Jessie Sta. Ana, who was caught by responding barangay tanods and policemen from San Nicolas police station after the robbery of Bernadeth and Francisco de Gracia Jr. of Concepcion Street, barangay Pasil.

Included in the charge sheet are suspected accomplices Hermigildo Golez, 30, of Clarita Village, barangay Labangon, Cebu City; Julius Damgo, 25, of barangay Inoburan, Naga town, from barangay Proper Dimaya, Pagadian City; Ricky Prete, 29, of Inoburan, from barangay Panagaan, Mahayag town, Zamboanga del Sur; Magdalino Tulin, of barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City, from barangay Mahayag, Deloso town, Zamboanga del Sur.

The police also charged a couple identified as Mikay and Cecil Dumpa and two more identified only as Roger and Nonoy.

The De Gracia couple were going home on board a trisikad from the Pasil fish market when they were waylaid by two armed men upon reaching the corner of Concepcion and Garfield streets in barangay Suba.

The men pointed guns at them and Bernadeth was forced to give up a brown bag that contained P125,000 to the robbers who then fled on a yellow Honda XRM motorcycle.

Barangay Suba tanod chief Michael Yburan timely passed by the area and learned about the robbery and chased the robbers, he said he spotted Sta. Ana as he got off the motorcycle in Lakandula Street, barangay San Nicolas.

Sta. Ana rode a jeepney heading to the Pasil Market while Yburan and policemen from San Nicolas chased him and caught up with him at Tupaz Street. Sta. Ana was arrested with a loaded .45 cal. pistol.

Sta. Ana earlier claimed in an interview with The Freeman that Roger pushed him off the motorcycle and left him, he did not know that the jeepney he got on was heading to Pasil Market.

Chief Inspector Ambrocio Ibones said Golez is the "point man" of robbers and fed the group while they were still planning the robbery, he also allegedly provided them with the two .45 cal. pistols used in the heist.

Damgo is allegedly the owner of the motorcycle used by Sta. Ana, Roger and Nonoy during the heist while Tulin is the driver of the taxi used as the second getaway vehicle. - Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP