Reports said that about a year ago, Dindo Fernandez, 32, robbed the Xander Pawnshop in Marikina City of P100,005 on May 22, 2005. He was then employed by the company as vault custodian.
Fernandez and his family went into hiding after the incident but reports said he used the money to start a small business.
The local police filed theft charges against him.
However, after a year, his fish stall in Barangay Batia, Bocaue, Bulacan went bankrupt and he was arrested by men of Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., Marikina City police chief, for theft.
Fernandez told police investigators there was actually more than P300,000 kept in the vault but he took only the said amount to start a small business to support his family.
Fernandez said the P5 loose change in the loot was for his fare on his way home to 30 P. Zamora St., Barangay de la Pena.
While tending to his fish stall in Bulacan, a concerned citizen recognized him and sent a text message to Marikina City Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando.
Judge Felix Reyes, of the Marikina City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 272 issued an arrest warrant against Fernandez last June 2.
Under the Txt MCF program, Marikina residents can text their concerns to Fernando.
Upon receiving the text message, Ramos formed a team to conduct a validation of the information in Bocaue town. The team confirmed that Fernandez was selling fish in the local market.
Armed with the warrant, the team cornered Fernandez in his house last Friday afternoon. He did not resist arrest.
Ramos said they failed to recover part of the loot from Fernandez.
Judge Reyes recommended a P80,000 bail for Fernandez’s temporary liberty. — Non Alquitran