Suspects in jewelry heist at uptown mall charged

CEBU, Philippines - After almost a year, prosecutors charged in court the suspects in the December 2008 robbery of Golden Treasures Jewelry Store along General Maxilom Avenue.

Facing robbery charges are Danny Masicampo and Alicando Calong and three unidentified suspects. Masicampo and Calong were identified through the police’s rogue gallery.

In her resolution, Prosecutor Rhodna Bacatan said subpoena was sent to the suspects, but the suspects reportedly failed to submit their counter-affidavits. Bacatan said that by not submitting their counter-affidavits, the suspects chose not to controvert the complaint against them.

“Subpoenas were submitted but the respondents opted not to controvert the case filed against them,” she said.

In an affidavit, store owner Irene Young said she was tending to the jewelry store located at the 3rd floor of Mango Square Mall when a man who posed as a customer disarmed their security guard.

Young identified Masicampo as the one who poked a gun at her and took away the jewelries while Calong was reportedly the one who served as a lookout along with another man.

Young said the suspects were able to take away P1 million worth of jewelry and reportedly used a Nissan Xsaloon as their get away vehicle.

 Theft and Robbery Section Chief Michael Anthony Bastes said four of the five suspects executed the heist while the other drove the getaway vehicle.  He said that before the robbery was announced, one man, who turned out to be one of the suspects, went inside the jewelry shop and pretended to be a customer. Moments later, three armed men arrived and disarmed the security guard of his .38 revolver.

Two of the three men joined the one inside the store while another stayed with the guard and told him to stay on the ground. Two more men arrived, with one of them bringing the bag where the loot was placed. The heist was over in three minutes. — Jasmin R. Uy/JMO    (FREEMAN NEWS)