Guard nabbed for Malabon City Hall burglaries

A construction company’s security guard was arrested yesterday in connection with a series of burglaries at the Malabon City Hall early this week.

Virgilio Arnido, 32, who works for the JD Legazpi Construction Corp., which is constructing the new city hall building, was arrested at his post by City Security Unit (CSU) chief Melecio Asidao.

Asidao himself is also under investigation by Malabon police chief Senior Superintendent Ramon de Jesus, who said his men are focusing their investigation on an “inside job” angle.

Asidao said that Arnido’s arrest came after City Hall security personnel discovered yesterday that the suspect sold a Play Station to a trader at the Malabon central market.

Councilor Ricky Bernardo claimed that the Play Station sold by Arnido is the same one stolen from his office earlier this week. The stolen Play Station is worth P12,000 but Arnido sold it for only P1,500, Asidao said.

“We are still conducting a deeper investigation in coordination with the local police for we believed that Arnido could have other cohorts,” Asidao said.

Asidao said he suspected Arnido’s involvement in burglaries at the City Hall last Monday and Wednesday after he was absent for two days and was often seen drinking at a night spot in the area.

Asidao said Arnido’s employer gave him the task of securing its equipment at the left wing of the 11-story building, where the burglaries occurred. The building is still under construction.

Asidao said Arnido was also provided keys to the elevators since he is also tasked to turn off equipment at night.

Asidao said he has been with Mayor Canuto Oreta’s family since he was a boy and has never been involved in any controversy.

Oreta ordered a full-blast investigation into the series of break-ins at the City Hall wherein the offices of Councilors Antolin Oreta; his younger brother, Ian Emmanuel Borja; Bernardo; the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO); and lawyer Erick Sevilla, were looted.

Oreta lost a laptop and a digital camera worth P80,000; Borja, a P75,000 laptop; Bernardo, a Play Station that was later recovered; the BPLO, P15,000; and Sevilla, P1,500.         – Pete Laude