Botched robbery Cops: Chance of nabbing suspect getting slimmer

CEBU, Philippines - Though they have intensified their efforts to catch Dionisio “Jun-jun” Cabando, the lone escapee of Monday’s botched robbery in uptown Cebu City, Cebu City Police Office director Melvin Ramon Buenafe admitted the chances of capturing him are becoming slimmer each day.

“Iyong possibility (to capture Cabando) is remote, but the possibility of him dying is also there,” he said. Cabando was wounded in a shootout last Monday.

But Buenafe assured the police will not stop pursuing Cabando.

“Whether there is a reward or not, our police here in Cebu City will continuously do our job for what is appropriate,” he said.

The police are also consolidating evidence to file appropriate charges against Cabando.

“Whether or not madakpan si Cabando, ato i-file ang kaso,” Buenafe said. He will most likely face charges of robbery with homicide and frustrated murder.

Cabando’s live-in partner, Merlyn Laguitao is now considered an accessory to the crime for aiding a fugitive.

The police are also questioning Nursing graduate Ann Marie “Maricel” Laguitao for her involvement in Cabando’s escape after she gave him first aid.

“We are still considering other participants, usa na ani si Maricel, because she has knowledge of Cabando,”

Buenafe asked Merlyn to surrender Cabando, assuring that they will be safe.

“Mipasalig mi nga kun i-turn over man siya di siya unsaon, amo siya tagaan og assistance aron matambalan siya dayon,” he said.

Following reports of three more suspects involved in the botched robbery, Buenafe is currently verifying this report with their counterparts in Ozamiz City.

In yesterday’s meeting with members of the Cebu Business Club, Buenafe also proposed to intensify police visibility around the city by organizing a 20-man team of motorcycle-riding policemen. 

He said this new anti-crime initiative is their answer to the rising crimes in the city perpetrated by men on motorcycles.

Meanwhile, the Investigative and Detective Management Bureau of the Mandaue City Police Office is holding a couple for questions after receiving text messages the two suspected robbers killed in last Monday’s botched robbery were their stay-in workers.

IDMB Chief Rex Lo-mente said the police received a text message that slain suspects Antonio Adelan and Mario Dapitan once worked in the hanging rice (puso) business of Junster Adrias and his wife Terry. It was also claimed there were even times when the suspects would deliver puso to their clients inside the mall where the robbery took place.

Lomente said they intercepted the couple’s maroon Toyota Corolla along U.N. Ave. in Barangay Opao, past 4 p.m. last Wednesday and brought them to MCPO for questioning. 

During questioning, it was later learned that Antonio Adelan was a brother of Terry, but she told police both men left her house in Barangay Guizo long before the robbery took place. 

She also said she was not aware that her brother had joined a robbery syndicate and also denied knowing Cabando.

The couple was later released after police found no trace of Cabando in the couple’s houses in Barangay Guizo in Mandaue City and in Sitio Timpolok, Barangay Babag I, Lapu-Lapu City. — (FREEMAN)