A man said to be one of the 10 most wanted criminals in Quezon City was recently arrested in his hometown in Oriental Mindoro.
Pedro Rodica, 32, was arrested last April 15 almost a year after escaping from authorities on his way to a hearing for a robbery with homicide case filed against him, said Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula, director of the Quezon City Police District.
Gatdula said Rodica’s group was behind the robbery of a moneychanger in Cubao in July 2006, where they also killed the victim.
Based on a tip received by the authorities, operatives of the Police Regional Office 4-B nabbed Rodica in his residence in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Gatdula said Rodica, a welder, is member of a group composed mostly of former military and police personnel.
“But what they do is not just rob their victims, they also kill them,” Gatdula said.
The QCPD chief said Rodica’s group has been involved in similar activities in Madaluyong and Manila and other areas outside the metropolis.
Gatdula revealed that a group of moneychangers has even provided the police a list of victims of Rodica’s group.
He said that because of the large amounts of money involved in the robberies staged by Rodica’s group, the gang has amassed loot worth around P100 million.
Gatdula said talks with the group of moneychangers is ongoing to provide cash rewards for the arrest of the other members of the group.
He said these members include Juanito Boton, who is said to be a former member of the Philippine Marines, and a certain Watamama, who is formerly with the Aviation Security Group.