Cop, 11 others charged for payroll rob-slay

MANILA, Philippines - A policeman, a barangay chairman and 10 others were charged with robbery with homicide for the killing of a municipal employee of San Mateo, Rizal during a P1.4-million payroll robbery in Marikina City last March 12.

Senior Police Officer 3 Geronimo Pastrana, alias Jerome; Barangay Ampid, San Mateo chairman Fernando Salvador; Jay-Ar Magpuri; Salvador Felipe; Arnold Sumagao; Virgilio Redito and six other suspects – Boyet, Toto, Nelson, Vangie, Tata and Ar-ar – were charged before the Marikina City prosecutor’s office.

A prosecutor recommended no bail for Sumagao and Redito, who are in the custody of the Marikina City police. The other suspects remain at large.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said they are waiting for the court to issue an arrest warrant for the remaining suspects before going after them.

Mantele said Sumagao and Redito broke down during interrogation and admitted participating in the payroll robbery that resulted in the killing of Maria Lily de Jesus, 52, and the wounding of her driver, Felix Alcantara, 43.

De Jesus and Alcantara had just withdrawn the payroll money from a bank in Barangay Concepcion Uno when the suspects blocked their path.

When De Jesus refused to hand over the money, Magpuri and Felipe shot at the victims, Mantele said in his report.

Mantele said Pastrana, assigned at the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO), reportedly contacted Redito and an inmate, Dante Lara, who recruited the other suspects.

Redito was the gang’s coordinator and organizer, Salvador was in charge of the surveillance of the victims, while Sumagao was the one who provided the getaway vehicle, a motorcycle, Mantele said.

A team headed by Chief Inspector Teodoro Armada, intelligence chief of the Marikina City police, arrested Redito at his safehouse in Makati City.

Alcantara and another municipal employee, Estrelita Ramos, identified Sumagao and Redito as among those who robbed them.

Pastrana and Salvador denied participating in the payroll robbery.