2 bank robbers arrested by police

The Philippine National Police (PNP) claimed yesterday to have solved five bank robberies in Metro Manila, including the Feb. 9 robbery at the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), with the arrest of two alleged members of the so-called Ozamis-Waray group last Monday.

Acting PNP chief Deputy Director General Leandro Mendoza identified the suspects as Eustaquio Abcede alias Budok, 35, and his younger brother, Allan, 31, both natives of Misamis Oriental.

Police investigators are looking into the possibility that the Ozamis-Waray group is linked with the dreaded Kuratong Baleleng group. "The suspects and the members of the Kuratong Baleleng group came from Ozamis," Mendoza noted.

He added police operations are still ongoing for the arrest of the other members of the group, believed to be numbering to about 20.

"I want to commend the CIDG and operatives of the PNP under (Chief Superintendent Nestorio) Gualberto for the resolution of the bank robbery case at the BPI," Mendoza said.

Apart from the BPI branch in Timog, Quezon City, the Ozamis-Waray group was also believed responsible in the robberies in at least three branches of the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank), namely, in Novaliches, Quezon City; Bacoor and Dasmariñas towns in Cavite City. The banks were robbed last June, November and December, respectively.

Also robbed was the Union Bank in Parañaque last October.

Mendoza noted that there are still suspects to be arrested and firearms to be recovered. "Maybe, in due time, all these pieces of evidence will be accounted. I have also directed the parallel investigations on the robbery in Antipolo, and the other robberies committed here in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces," he said.

The Abcede brothers were presented to reporters yesterday by Mendoza and Gualberto, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

"We were able to pin down the suspects because of the information provided by the witnesses, and the intelligence reports received by our field units. From our intelligence operations and casing surveillance, we were able to locate the two suspects now present," said case officer, Superintendent Miguel Coronel.

CIDG agents said Eustaquio Abdece was the first to fall in one of the suspects’ alleged safehouse in Tondo, Manila. The other suspect, Allan, was nabbed in another hideout in Barangay San Vicente, San Pablo City.

According to Mendoza, BPI employees and eyewitnesses positively identified the suspects.

Two artists’ sketches gathered by investigators matched the description of the suspects.

According to Kamuning Police Station chief, Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, about P150,000 in cash were taken away by the robbers who struck at the BPI-Timog branch last Feb. 9.

A witness said Eustaquio served as the lookout while his younger brother was the one who scooped the money from the tellers’ booths at gunpoint.

Meanwhile in Pasig, the police arrested four people and seized from them 181 pieces of pornographic video compact disc, during anti-smut operations in front of a church.

Those arrested were identified Mike Makalawan, 29; Ismael Bayaban, 33; Mayan Dalaig, 24; all of Barangay Pinagbuhatan, and Malic Mote, 17 of Barangay Sto. Tomas. The four suspects were all natives of Marawi City in Maguindanao.

The parish priest and community leaders complained about the proliferation of obscene films in their neighborhood prompting Mayor Vicente Eusebio to order a crackdown.

Superintendent John Sosito, Pasig City police chief, said Mayor Eusebio was dismayed upon learning that the selling of the obscene materials was done in areas surrounding the Pasig church. – Christina Mendez, Non Alquitran