9 Laglag Barya Gang members charged in court

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor has indicted the nine Laglag Barya Gang members who tricked the wife of a former city councilor and took her bag containing cash and other valuables.

Prosecutor Noel Cellona held Edna Garcia, 49, a native of Bacoor, Cavite; Simplicio Conde, 45, of Aroroy, Masbate; Jamboy Tagon, 30, of Villagonzalo II, Cebu City; Mary Ann Abrasaldo, 39, of Baybay, Leyte; Arnold Losarito,45, of Davao City; Jomar Balwa, 25, of Barangay 22, Davao City; Jonar Alodria, 31, of Barangay 33-T, Davao City; Jody Lasong, 37, of Boulevard, Davao City; and Rosalie Gerodias of Purok 3, Annex, Ozamiz City for trial after finding probable cause for theft.

The suspects were sued by Sheila Mae Daluz, the wife of former councilor Joey Daluz, who lost P332,000 worth of valuables including P70,000 cash, credit and identification cards, and other important documents to them last week.

Police Officer 3 Jodan Batucan of the Theft and Robbery Section said the nine Laglag Barya Gang members waived their rights to preliminary investigation and chose not to submit counter-affidavits during the inquest proceeding last Wednesday.

Hence, their cases were elevated to the Regional Trial Court yesterday afternoon.

Cellona recommended P40,000 bail each for the suspects’ temporary liberty. The con artists are currently detained at Subangdaku Police Station.

Daluz was with her husband and kids to eat lunch at a restaurant in Legaspi Street, Barangay Sto. Niño, Cebu City when the incident happened on July 29.

When her family alighted at their car, she was left at the driver’s seat. A man approached her and told her that something fell from the back of the car so she went to check it. She then realized that she was victimized by the Laglag Barya modus operandi. Her bag which was inside the car was already gone.

One of the suspects was arrested last Monday after he tried to victimize Hiroshi Hirasawa, 26, a Japanese national who happened to be a martial arts Jujitsu instructor, inside a mall in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City.

The eight others were apprehended in a follow-up operation the following day in Barangay Lamac, Consolacion.

Garcia, the alleged leader of the group, has been renting a house, which turned out to be their hideout in Consolacion town, in the last four months.

Garcia allegedly recruited the other suspects, who were former members of a salisi gang operating in Metro Cebu, and introduced to them the “laglag susi-barya” modus operandi.

The nine suspects were reportedly tagged in the series of theft incidents that have victimized several persons in the past four months in Metro Cebu including Daluz.

Other victims who also positively identified the suspects include Ma. Antoniette Ocampo who lost P18,000 cash and a watch in an appliance center parking lot in Mandaue City two months ago and Manilyn Mar, an executive manager of an English school in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City, who lost more than half a million in cash and personal  belongings three weeks ago at the parking lot of Rose Pharmacy, also in Bakilid.— Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/NSA (FREEMAN)