Suspect in Fooda robbery charged

CEBU, Philippines – A charge for robbery was filed last Monday against a man said to be one of eight who participated in Fooda Saver’s Mart heist last March 9.

The accused was identified as Jose Roy Suminguit Quimada, 38, a resident of Sta. Lucia District, Pagadian City.

Theft and Robbery Section chief Michael Anthony Bastes said that Quimada was positively identified by two witnesses as the pretended to be an inspector of the security firm hired by the store.

The robbers made off with a vault with over P100,000 in coins and assorted cellular phones.

Arlene Español, representative of the store, filed the case against the suspect.

Bastes said that according to an intelligence report, most bank robberies in Cebu were masterminded by Quimada.

Quimada and his nephew Earl Allen Mondarte were arrested at a checkpoint in San Remigio town last November 2005 for robbing Aspac Rural bank in Tabogon town. They were later released on bail.

Before he allegedly turned to masterminding bank robberies in the Visayas and Mindanao, Quimada worked in a bank.

Quimada finished accounting course before he worked for the Far East Bank as an accounting officer. In 2001, Quimada left the bank after he was allegedly charged with estafa. — Niña G. Sumacot/BRP (THE FREEMAN)