Money changers warned of Mindanao robbers

CEBU, Philippines - While saying that eight cohorts of Richard Mañala, the suspected pickpocket from Basilan who was shot dead near this city’s pier area before the Sinulog festival, are no longer here in Cebu, the police disclosed they are still monitoring suspected big robbers from Mindanao.

Senior Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office, said they are monitoring three suspected robbers who, they believe, may strike anytime in the province after not being able to carry out their plans during the festivities.

Main targets of these robbers are money changers; that’s why Bastes urged pawnshops and establishments engaged in money changing to always be vigilant.

Bastes, who withheld the names of the robbers so as not to jeopardize police operations, said that two of these offenders hail from Davao while the other is from Lanao del Norte and that they arrived in Cebu before the Sinulog festivities.

These robbers were the ones who victimized a money changer in one of the cities here in Cebu, Bastes confirmed.

He said his office is coordinating with the police in Mindanao to get the full names of the said robbers or to verify on their identities.

“Pangitaon g’yod ni nato sila,” Bastes said.

Further, it was disclosed that the robbers were sighted recently in one of the towns in the province.

Aside from robbers and hold-uppers, Bastes also appealed to the security guards of various establishments including mall agents to always be watchful of the movements of robbers locally known as “mangtyempohay.”

Mañala, 40 years old, of Isabela City in Basilan, was walking towards the pier area in barangay Carreta four hours after he was released by police when he was approached by motorcycle-riding men and shot pointblank last January 11.

Bastes said that Mañala was arrested by traffic personnel after he was spotted by bystanders running away from a 66-year-old American national, along with his eight cohorts, on January 9.

His companions were able to elude arrest, bringing with them the P30,000 loot. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)