Police collar last suspect in rob, shooting of cabbie

CEBU, Philippines - One of the three suspects in last Monday’s shooting of a taxi driver in sitio San Rafael, San Roque, Talisay City was arrested by police in sitio Kilawan, barangay Tanke yesterday morning.

A team from the Talisay City Police Station composed of SPO1 Mikie Espina, PO3 Almaquio Labitad, and PO2 Stephen Sefuesca arrested Lester Louie Macachor (not “Lexter Louie” as earlier reported), 19, a resident of sitio San Rafael.

Espina said they got a tip that Macachor, who was missing since Monday, visited his father in Tanke. When police got there, they chanced upon Macachor outside his father’s house.

As this developed, a gasoline station attendant/cashier in barangay San Isidro, San Fernando town also accused Macachor of robbery.

Randay Matmat, 23, told police that Macachor and an unidentified man allegedly robbed Kyle Gas Station at 9:40 p.m. last Monday.

PO3 Marjuken Misuare of San Fernando Police Station said the two men, which took the gasoline station’s P17,000 earnings, were seen riding a motorcycle during the heist.

Matmat, who was accompanied by the San Fernando police to the Talisay City Police Station, positively identified Macachor as the one who pointed a gun at him before divesting the gas station’s coffers.

Espina said Macachor was facing a theft case, and was just released from the Talisay City Jail last March 3.

Meanwhile, Macachor’s alleged companion in that day’s incident Ariel Padin, reportedly a son of a barangay tanod, remains missing as of this writing.

During the interrogation, Espina said Macachor pointed to Padin as the one who pulled the trigger.

Subsequently, taxi driver Jimmy Bacaro was hit on his left jaw during the shooting.

Bacaro was driving along the Cebu South Coastal Road in sitio San Rafael, San Roque area when allegedly Macachor, Padin, and a lookout, who stopped him in the middle of the road, robbed him and his two passengers.

Police have yet to establish the identity of the alleged lookout, however.

Espina, who earlier tagged Macachor’s group as newbies, said the group is believed to be members of the Alpha Kappa Rho, notorious for preying on taxi drivers in Talisay City and neighboring localities.

Hence, Espina urged persons who have been victimized by the group to complain to the police.

Macachor, who is now detained at the TCPS, and his two companions, will face charges for robbery with attempted homicide.

The arrest of Macachor would lead to the arrest of their other colleagues, said Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office.

Comendador hopes the ongoing tactical interrogation by the Talisay City police would establish the identities of those involved.

“Usa ra man gyud ni sila kaubana atong nanulis sa San Fernando ug diha sa duol nga lugar,” he said.

Macachor however was positively identified by Randy Matmat, the pump boy of the gasoline station.

“We will impose the law and arrest the suspects and if mosukol sila dili mi magpanagana paggamit ug saktong kusog,” Comendador told The FREEMAN.