Monday's robbers split from Kuratong Police dragnet for gang leader

CEBU, Philippines - While the manhunt for the remaining member of the robbery gang involved in Monday’s botched heist continues, the police have identified the group as one that broke away from the dreaded Kuratong Baleleng Gang of Ozamis City.

The men involved in the botched heist have been identified as the Quiapo Cabando Robbery Group, said Sr. Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

He said that they confirmed the identity of the robbers after checking with their counterparts in Ozamis.

Jun-jun Cabando, the alleged leader of the group, remains at large. Three of his companions were killed.

Also killed were two security guards while a bank teller and two policemen were injured.

The robbers struck inside Robinsons Place in the Fuente Osmeña area, shooting a roving teller of Chinabank, who was delivering P1.2 million cash to a money changer inside the mall.

Two security guards assigned to escort the teller were killed while three of the robbers also died when shot upon by policemen when they tried to flee.

Buenafe said that Cabando, who they are still trying to track, came to Cebu ahead of his group.

Cabando is also one of the suspects in the robbery of a branch of Banco de Oro in Cagayan de Oro City.

Buenafe said that there is now a regionwide bulletin for Cabando, who was reportedly injured.

Mandaue City Police Office director Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac said his men invited the sister of Merlyn, the live-in partner of Cabando Monday evening.

Gillamac said Maricel Lagutiao Magadan was invited by the personnel of City Intelligence Branch headed by Chief Insp. Alexander Nuñez.

The team located Magadan in Tunay Beach, Liloan after receiving an intelligence report that she, Cabando and Merlyn fled to the northern Cebu.

After locating her, Gillamac said his men proceeded to Compostela town but failed to find Cabando and Merlyn. Magadan was later freed.

Magadan, who reportedly expressed willingness to cooperate with the police, denied knowing Cabando’s whereabouts.

Gillamac said a raid by members of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office and Cebu City Police Office on the suspect’s reported safe house in barangay Babag II, Lapu-Lapu City turned fruitless. 

The police said that the group had been doing surveillance for a month prior to the botched robbery and planned other hits in Cebu.

Those who were killed were identified as Mario Dapitan, Antonio Adelan, and Melencio Quiapo, who were all from Ozamis City.

Dapitan and Quiapo died at Ranudo St. while Adelan was declared dead at the Cebu City Medical Center after the police shot him at Alcohol St.

Adelan was tagged as the man, who shot security guard Lito Udag inside the mall when the guard tried to come to the rescue of teller Lewin Surig, who was shot on the leg.

Lapses

Supt. Rex Derilo, chief of the Firearms and Explosives Security Agency Supervisory Section (FESAGSS) said that he noted lapses in procedure of the guards.

The lapses were committed by the guards assigned to escort the roving teller and those of the mall.

Derilo said that he, however, still needs to conduct a thorough investigation to make sure that he could properly identify who are to blame.

The guards escorting the teller were from Puritan Security Agency while those manning the mall entrance were from NC Lanting Security Agency.

Initially, he said that the procedure is to have two guards escort a roving teller while a third one should be left to guard the waiting armored car.

There was only one guard with the teller when they went inside the mall while the second guard took his post near the armored car.

He also noted how the mall guards failed to stop two armed men from entering the mall premises.

Once they are done with their investigation, Derilo said they will forward their findings to their main office together with the recommendation as to which of the two security agencies will be sanctioned.

If any of the two agencies will be found to have violated their rules following Monday’s incident, the concerned agency might lose their license.

Awards

PO1 Roy Ceniza and PO1 Jay Catacutan, who were injured when shot at by the robbers each received a “Medalya Ng Sugatang Magiting.”

Chief Supt. Ager Ontog, director of the Police Regional Office-7 pinned the medals on the two policemen, who are now confined at the Chong Hua Hospital.

 “This is a very special medal. It is something that you do not wish for, but once you get it, it is a source of pride for yourself and also to the organization,” he said.

According to Ontog, Ceniza and Catacutan are just few of our very small group of selected officers who have received this medal for courage and valor. 

“It is something very hard to earn, but at the same time it gives you much pleasure for the service of our people,” he said.

Both policemen were very thankful for their medals; they however, share the same idea that what they did was simply a call of duty.

“Wala gyud ko nag-duha-duha, tawag lang gyud to sa among duty. Para ra to sa serbisyo – mao gyud to ang trabaho sa police,” Ceniza told The Freeman.

Makakaasa ang mga taga-region 7, na ang ating mga police ay ready sa lahat nang oras upang mag-serbisyo kahit ito may pwede silang mapahamak,” Ontog assured. 

 “Ang ating police, dalawa ang trabaho. Ang unang una ang prevention nang crime, at kung hindi mo ma-prevent ang crime, you should be able to respond and suppress crime – but they paid for it in an extreme punishment,” he said.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is also thinking of giving cash rewards to the policemen, who helped foil the robbery.

The bag containing the money was recovered with the cash still intact as the robbers did not even have time to open the padlock.

The mayor said he will task the members of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) to discuss the issue and to determine the amount to be given to each of the policemen.

When asked whether he will recommend the promotion of the concerned police officers because of their laudable performance, Rama said the police hierarchy already knows what to do about it.

Those left behind

The families of the two security guards who were killed want the remaining member of the robbery group taken dead or alive.

Undag, 38, who was a resident of Barangay Kamagayan is survived by his wife Elma and an 11-year-old daughter, who is a Grade-6 pupil at the University of the Visayas. Lito was a native of Zamboanga del Norte. He worked in the said agency for five years.

The family owns an eatery at the City Center along Sanciangko St., Cebu City to supplement their income.

The daughter is a member of the school’s gymnastics team.

She told The FREEMAN that her father had always reminded her to finish her studies.

“Ako lang gihapong huna-hunaon nga buhi pa siya unya naa lang gihapon siya sa amoa,” she said.

Congressman Mikee Arroyo, representative of the Ang Galing Pinoy party-list, also gave financial assistance as he condoled both families yesterday afternoon.

The other fatality, Leofer Etac, 34, was shot dead near the armored car after he and one of the robbers grappled for his shotgun.

Etac who was overpowered tried to get up while one of the robbers was about to shoot him using the shotgun forcing the assailant to use his caliber .45 pistol instead killing the guard instantly.

Jasmine, Etac’s wife, is leaving it to the hands of the police to arrest Cabando.

She said justice would only be served if Cabando will be killed or jailed.

“Mas maayo madakpan na lang kung mamatay maayo ra pud,” she said.

Jasmine will have to take care of their three children aged 8, 3, and 2 years old. She has a small store as her source of income.

Lito worked as a security guard for four years.

The 8-year-old son of the couple is now on his third grade at the Lahug Elementary School.

He told The FREEMAN that the sudden death of his father is hard to accept.

“Mabuhi unta siya kay ganahan ko ako siya ingnon og I love you,” he said.

He also added, “ipapriso gyud siya, dili pahatagon og kwarta aron dili kagawas kay iya gipusil akong papa.”

Congressman’s visit

Rep. Mikey Arroyo of the Ang Galing Pinoy Partylist paid a surprise visit to the wake of the guards.

Arroyo assured the families that he would contact the security agency so that the families could receive the benefits due them.

He also gave financial assistance to the two families. – with Ria Mae Booc, Flor Z. Perolina and Rene Borromeo/NLQ (FREEMAN)