Bantayan cops nab three Salisi Gang members

CEBU, Philippines - Three people, including two women, were arrested for allegedly stealing P70,000 cash from a grocery store in Barangay Binaobao, Bantayan on Friday.

Police identified the suspects as Juanita Perez, 59, a resident of Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City; Gemma Morales, 46; and Anthony Robles, 18. Morales and Robles are both residents of Barangay Tabo, Compostela.

The three, along with the fourth suspect, a certain Jocelyn of Basak-Pardo, Cebu City, are members of Salisi Sang, whose modus operandi is to trick the victims and stealthily steal their money, said PO2 Vicente Chavez of Bantayan Police Station.

Witnesses pointed at the suspects as the same people who stole P70,000 cash from Wolvers Store owned by Dora Yap Thursday night, a day before the barangay's annual fiesta celebration.

At past 6 p.m., the four suspects entered the store and posed as customers, said Chavez.

Yap, 35, left the store to her four cashiers and proceeded to the bank to deposit their sales.

While the three cashiers attended to the “customers,” it was at this point that the suspects secretly took away the money from the drawer and hastily left the area.

Police conducted a follow up operation and arrested Perez early Friday morning at Santa Fe Wharf while Morales and Robles were intercepted at the Hagnaya Wharf in the nearby San Remegio town. The three were about to board a ferryboat to escape.

Police recovered P4,400 from Perez and P2,020 from Morales. The suspects were detained and were expected to be released yesterday.

Chavez said the victim opted not to file charges against the suspects for safety reasons.

The stolen amount was also turned over to her by a relative of one of the suspects.  (FREEMAN)