Talisay City police now hunting down robbery group head

CEBU, Philippines -  The Talisay City police are now looking for the alleged leader of a local robbery group who had escaped during the buy-bust operation in Talisay City last Wednesday.

 Supt. Henry Biñas, chief of the Talisay City Police Station, said that Filbert Mata alias “Cocoy” has a family in Ramona Village, Barangay San Isidro, hence, if he has left at this time, he would always come back for them.

 “Even if he has already left Cebu, maybe not too soon, but time will come that he will return home. He could not just leave his family for long,” said the police chief.

 Based on the latest investigation on Mata’s group, police said that the said gang is not only allegedly behind robbery incidents but is also implicated in a number of illegal drug deals within the city.

 The Talisay City police last Wednesday backed the Cebu City police team in a buy-bust operation that led to the arrest of Mata’s father, Felixberto alyas “Gaga” and Aljun Sanchez. The younger Mata was allegedly there but had escaped arrest.

 During the operation, the joint forces recovered one big pack of shabu and three handguns: 9mm Berreta pistol, .45 pistol, .38 revolver with magazines and live ammunition, from the suspects. Operatives also allegedly pulled through cash reportedly proceeds from shabu, two live mortars, and a XRM motorcycle that has no plate number.

 It was later discovered that SPO1 Emmanuel Sarmiento of the Cebu City Police Office, who operates a business in San Isidro, owns the 9mm handgun, which they took when they robbed the cop’s halo-halo store in October last year.

 The suspects were also believed to be behind the robbery of Jevi money-changer in Barangay Tabunok where P150,000 cash was carted away last December 22.

Biñas said that since Mata is still at large, the entire force is on alert mode for his possible regrouping with his members.—Liv G. Campo/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)