Robber from Ozamis killed

CEBU, Philippines - The robbery suspect from Ozamis City who was killed by police Thursday had been hiding in Mandaue City the whole time.

Renante Baldecantos, 26, single, of barangay Bagacay, Ozamiz City was involved in a series of robberies and had pending cases for stealing cars both in his hometown and adjacent Tangub City.

Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) chief P C/Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes yesterday said the IDMB in Ozamiz City also links Baldecantos to the killing of a barangay captain in Tangub City.

“Gipangita na na siya didto ug posibli nga naa dire sa Sugbo kay gipangita na siya didto,” Bastes said.

He was identified as the one who robbed and killed three weeks ago Ly Ryza Amar, the 24-year-old loan officer of ZFA Credit Corp in barangay Guizo.

Baldecantos took the P100,000 Amar had just withdrawn from a bank inside a mall along A. S. Fortuna Street in barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City.

Bastes said he traced Baldecantos’ location last April 18 with the help of the red jacket he often wore as shown once on a CCTV footage.

Baldecantos had also worn the same jacket to rob a store in barangay Canduman in Mandaue City.

“Sud sa tulo ka buwan ubay-ubay sad na sya og natulis diri sa ato wa pay labot sa neighboring cities. Natingala sad mga silingan ana niya diha sa Maguikay kalit lang nibutho ug kanunay daghan kwarta ug sige lang mag madjong,” Bastes said.

As of yesterday, no one has claimed Baldecantos’ body at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes.

His girlfriend, accompanied by Baldecantos’ laundrywoman, came to check whether he was indeed dead. She did not claim the body.

When word of the killing reached him, Noli, Amar’s father, immediately came to Cebu from Bago City in Negros Oriental yesterday morning.

He thanked the police for the immediate resolution of the case.

In another development, another robber from Ozamiz City was arrested by policemen of the City Public Safety Company in Mandaue City yesterday morning after robbing a laundry shop along A.S. Fortuna Street in barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City.

John Paul Cortes, 32, single, temporarily residing in SB Cabahug Street, barangay Centro, Mandaue City, is now detained at the Subangdaku police station.

 Unconfirmed reports say Cortes is an adopted son of Demetrio Cortes Sr., former mayor of Mandaue.

But John Paul denied being an adopted son of the former mayor.

He said he grew up in Ozamiz City and is not related to the prominent Cortes clan in the city.

John Paul was arrested after Jobelle Bulala, 23, an attendant of the Pearl Laundry Shop, shouted for help, prompting bystanders to help.

Bulala sustained cuts and bruises on her right arm, left cheek, and left shoulder.

Cortes introduced himself as a customer and then brandishing a screw driver, declared a hold-up.

“Gilayog-layog jud ko niya unya giduot ko niya sa sawog ang iyahang gidala kay iyang gi sige ug hana ug dungab-dungab nako maong ako kay mulihay ra pud,” Bulala said.

She said at some point she thought she would die.  (FREEMAN)