Suspect in mall heist shot in Misamis

CEBU, Philippines - The seven people behind the botched robbery at an uptown mall in Cebu City last year have all been accounted for, with the last person killed in a shootout in Misamis Occidental last Monday.

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, head of the City Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office, said the botched robbery case is now finally closed with the death of Francis Raagas, the remaining John Doe.

Santander said that Raagas, 31, was shot to death by a businessman whom he tried to rob in Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental at 4 p.m. last Monday. Raagas’ cohort was also wounded in the shootout.

Unfortunately, the businessman was also killed in the attack, Santander said.

Raagas is the remaining John Doe in the warrant of arrest for robbery with homicide case issued by Judge Wilfredo Navarro of the Regional Trial Court Branch 19. The subjects of the warrant were Junjun Cabando alias Dioniso Cabatingan, the alleged leader of the robbery gang, and two other John Does later identified as Merly Laguitao and Roilen Castro.

“Close na ang case. Justice served, although ongoing pa ang trial,” Santander said. The first hearing will be scheduled on Tuesday.

Santander said that this is a success for the Cebu City Police Office, including other police units in Region 7 and in Zamboanga who helped in the arrest of the notorious suspects.

In July 16, Castro was arrested in Barangay Pakigne, Minglanilla, where he had been temporarily staying. His arrest came three days after Laguitao, 29, was picked up by the police last Friday afternoon in Tudela, Misamis Occidental.

Before Laguitao, Cabando was arrested in Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte last July 12. The three are now at the Cebu City Jail. There of their cohorts – Mario Dapitan, Melecio Quiapo and Antonio Adelan – were killed in a shootout with the police during the botched heist in September 6.

Security guards Lito Odag and Leofer Itac were also killed in the incident. – (FREEMAN)