Cops see drop in kidnaps, robberies

Metro Manila police chief Director Geary Barias said he expects to see a decline in robberies and kidnaps for ransom in the next few months following Saturday’s shootout, which resulted in the death of one suspect and the arrest of three others.

He said slain suspect Albert Almedilla and his companions – Pascual Mata, George Avila and Roy Fernandez – are linked to more than 20 robbery cases in Metro Manila and Cavite, and as far as Cebu City, Pampanga and Pangasinan.

Barias said the suspects, remnants of the Kuratong Baleleng robbery group, are behind the heists at the Land Bank branch on West Avenue, the United Coconut Planters Bank branch on E. Rodriguez Avenue, a Metrobank branch and a cola warehouse in Novaliches, all in Quezon City; the Banco de Oro branch in Valenzuela City.

The group was also reportedly involved in the abduction of a boy from an exclusive school in Sta. Cruz, Manila in 2005. The boy’s family paid a ransom of P2.9 million in cash and jewelry.

“We have recorded more than 20 cases attributed to the gang. We are still in the process of determining the extent of their operations not only in Metro Manila but also in the provinces,” said Senior Superintendent Edgardo Danao, intelligence chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO).

Investigators are also checking if the group could be responsible for the killing of nine people during a heist at the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. branch in Cabuyao, Laguna last May.

Danao’s men killed Almedilla in an encounter Saturday near the Cartimar market in Pasay City.

Mata, Avila and Fernandez, alias “Ranger,” the alleged leader of the group, were arrested and yielded a baby Armalite rifle, two .45 caliber automatic pistols, a .38 caliber revolver and a fragmentation grenade, Danao said.

He said they placed the gang under surveillance after receiving a tip from an informer that they were out to rob a Maynilad Water Service Inc. branch in Pasay City last Saturday.

The suspects were in a Starex van (WNS-958), surveying the area, when they sensed they were being followed by police officers near the market at about 6 p.m.

At the time of the encounter, Danao said he had in his possession two warrant of arrests against Almedilla and Fernandez for the robberies in Cavite and Cebu City.

Danao said the van had old bullet holes covered by packaging tape, an indication that the suspects used the van in their other criminal activities.

Barias presented Mata, Avila and Fernandez before the media at Camp Crame yesterday. Danao said the three men refused to cooperate when they were being interrogated by the NCRPO.

He said they were able to pin down Mata, Avila and Fernandez based on testimonies of other gang members the NCRPO have arrested earlier.

“We have a number of witnesses who linked them to a series of robbery and kidnapping incidents in Metro Manila and the provinces. We are preparing a tight case against them,” Danao said in an interview.

The NCRPO is preparing illegal possession of firearms charges against Mata, Avila and Fernandez, who are currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.