Car theft suspect arrested

Police are hot on the trail of suspected financiers of a notorious car theft-holdup syndicate operating in Metro Manila and Bulacan after arresting one of its members in Malabon City last Friday.

National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Edgardo Aglipay, in a press briefing at the Caloocan City police headquarters yesterday, directed NPDO director Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol and city police chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele to identify the group’s financier based on pertinent records, particularly bail bond payments for the temporary release of arrested gang members.

"The suspects, who has been in and out of jail for a series of car thefts and robbery-holdups, apparently have big-time financiers," Aglipay told reporters.

Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol said suspect Ruel Caldona, 27, a native of Abuyog, Leyte and suspected member of the Waray-Waray Gang, is a rescidivist with two standing arrest warrants and a string of at least 10 carnapping and robbery holdup cases pending in several trial courts in Metro Manila and Bulacan.

Police Officers 2 Loreto Lagmay and Lauro de la Cruz of the District Police Intelligence Unit (DPIU) both members of the arresting team, told The STAR they had previously sent Caldona several times to jail but had to release him everytime after posting bail of as much as P200,000 (usually reduced to P20,000, 10 percent of the original bail recommended, after lawyers file a motion to reduce bail, which is allowed by law).

"Matigas ito. Ayaw kumanta kahit anong gawin namin (He’s tough and won’t reveal anything, no matter what we do)," they said.

In a presentation to the media late Friday afternoon, Aglipay and Querol commended DPIU head Chief Inspector Sotero Ramos Jr. and his men for the arrest of Caldona.

In the same briefing, the suspect was positively identified by Caldona’s latest victims, Epifania Maiztegui and Maffy Izuga, personnel of a gas station along EDSA in Caloocan City robbed by the suspect last Nov. 28. Caldona was arrested by a team led by Ramos inside a safehouse in Barangay Longos, Malabon City at 2 a.m. Friday. – Jerry Botial