PBB guy's house burglarized

CEBU, Philippines - Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited housemate, Slater Young’s house in Cebu City was burglarized early Tuesday dawn by an unidentified thief who carted P50,000 cash, an expensive watch and high-end gadgets.

Slater’s father, John, 62, reportedly discovered the incident when he and his wife woke up at around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday in their residence at Emelio Osmeña St. Lower Busay, Cebu City.

The couple did not notice the thief entering the master’s bedroom and explained that it is also hard for them to notice because their room is big.

John said they are not accustomed to locking their rooms.

Though there were no signs of forced entry anywhere in the house, the Youngs lost P50,000 cash; four iPhone 4 units; an Apple laptop and a Rolex watch. 

Cebu City Police Office theft and robbery section investigator PO2 Carlo Balasoto told The FREEMAN that there is a possibility that the culprit was an insider. “Posible sad nga na-inside kay naay mga gi-construct sa ubos sa ilang balay,” Balasoto said.

Aside from three other members of the Young family, five house helpers, and their personal driver, there are no other possible suspects who have might committed the crime. “Naa ra pud na sa sulod sa balay…possible pud nga ang mga panday apan ato pa na i-verify,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Intelligence chief Romeo Santander told The FREEMAN they have confirmed the presence of small, but organized robbery groups in Cebu City.

He however said that this information comes from “a reliable source” who is constantly giving the police vital information on the group’s whereabouts.

“Atong gi-validate og maayo, but one thing is for sure, our source is very reliable,” said Santander. 

Santander said they are currently monitoring the group’s movements through their assets, adding that though the group is not like the Cabando Robbery Group who hatched a robbery attempt last September, they are not taking chances on the possibility of robbery attempts on any establishments in the city.   

In fact, Santander said they have received unverified reports of other similar criminal presence in other areas in Cebu which they are currently monitoring and verifying with their counterparts in other cities.

Though with these threats, Santander assures the pubic, especially the business sector, that they are doing their best to prevent such possibility through their intelligence networks throughout the city.

“Carnappers” nabbed

Meanwhile, two alleged carnappers were arrested by the Sogod police after the victim sought police assistance yesterday morning in Barangay Baga-tayan, Sogod.

Suspects Raymund Borja, 27 and Marlon Duria, 18, both natives of Surigao del Norte, were about to make a transaction with the victim John Arnado, a municipal employee in Barangay Poblacion when they were apprehended by the police.

Insp. Aldrin Villacampa, Sogod police chief, asked for the documents of the Honda XRM motorcycle bearing plate numbers 1282-GN but the suspects failed to show any which triggered the suspicions of the police.

These suspicions were confirmed when police asked to open the motorcycle’s U-box and found the documents showing that the unit was registered under the name of Jegil Paralisa, of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.

Villacampa said the suspects stole the motorcycle which was parked outside a mall in Barangay Pajo and tried to pawn it in Sogod for only P3,000.

“Nahibung among kaila nga maoy nabaligyaan kay nindot pa ang motor unya P3,000 ra’y prenda,” he told reporters.

The police chief added that upon coordination with the Theft and Robbery Section of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, they found out that the motorcycle was stolen at around 2:00 in the morning that same day and was taken to Sogod about 6:00 in the morning.

But Borja denied the allegations saying he did not expect that they will be accused of carnapping saying that all they wanted was to earn but not through illegal means.

“Abi nako nga ang nagsugo namo nga iprenda ang motor kay kaila sa tag-iya atad illegal man diay ni,” he said.

Both suspects will be detained temporarily in the Sogod police stockade pending the filing of charges against them.

Brother bandits arrested

Meanwhile, three brothers including a former bandit who were allegedly responsible for several robberies in the towns of Carmen, Catmon and Danao City were arrested by the Carmen police on Tuesday in Sitio Kapayas, Barangay Sac-on, Carmen.

The suspects who eluded arrest last Sunday after victimizing fish vendor Diosdado Damayo, 45, of Barangay Luyang, were collared by the police during a manhunt operation.

Now detained at the Carmen Police Station are brothers Jove Bueno, 29; Jonas Bueno, 24 and an alleged former rebel; both of Barangay Sandayong, Danao City along with Junry Bueno, 20, of Sitio Baucan, Barangay Sac-on, Carmen.

Damayo alleged that he was vending about five kilos of fish onboard his motorcycle in the mountain barangays of Carmen when the three suspects appeared and waylaid him.

One of the robbers aimed a .357 paltik revolver demanding for his P2,000 proceeds and took his remaining kilos of sardines.

Sr. Insp. Bonifacio Arriesgado, Carmen police chief, said that they immediately responded after Damayo reported the incident to the police station.

About 7:00 on Tuesday, police first arrested Junry in his residence and eventually led to the arrest of his two brothers Jove and Jonas, who were arrested in Barangay Cagat-Lamac, Danao City about 11:45 in the morning and in Barangay Sandayong, Danao City respectively at 12:20 in the afternoon.

Police also recovered the .357 paltik revolver loaded with three bullets from the possession of Jove.

Arriesgado disclosed that Jonas has a pending frustrated homicide case in Danao City and the three brothers are identified notorious robbers in the said municipalities.

He said that three robbers also attacked Rommel Arigo, 22, in Sitio Labangon, barangay Binong-kalan, Catmon last May 30.

Arigo was allegedly hogtied inside his house and his mouth was taped while robbers took his cash and valuables amounting to P636,000.

Robbery charges are set to be filed today in court against the three Bueno brothers and another case for illegal possession of firearm will also be filed against Jove. All will be taken to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for inquest proceedings. — (FREEMAN)