They were traced after one of them yielded a caliber .38 revolver which was traced to a Western Union security guard whose gun was taken during the robbery, said Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief.
Velasquez identified the suspects as Michael Garcia, 19; Catalino Argelis Jr., 22, and Melvin Maumay, 20.
The three were on a red Honda Wave motorcycle at the corner of Tabayog and Talayan Streets in Barangay Malamig when patrolling motorcycle police officers PO2 Roman Marquina and PO2 Edgar Antipasado spotted them at about 2:15 a.m. last Saturday.
"Maumay, who was behind the wheel, was driving recklessly and appeared to be under the influence of liquor so my men accosted them," said Velasquez.
When asked to present their identification and documents for their motorcycle, the suspects failed to produce any, prompting Marquina and Antipasado to frisk them.
Garcia yielded an Armscor caliber .38 revolver and was immediately put under arrest.
Later during questioning at the station, SPO3 Jaime Masilang, chief of the local police Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU), found out that the gun belongs to the Western Union security guard.
The three suspects denied involvement in the robbery. Garcia claimed that a friend loaned him the gun.
Velasquez said the Western Union security guard will be invited this week to check out the three men’s story.
He also called on other victims of motorcycle-riding robbers to come forward and find out if they had been victimized by the three.
The police are currently readying charges against the three before the city’s prosecutor’s office. — Non Alquitran