MANILA, Philippines – Police arrested Monday six men and confiscated from them at least 15 motorcycles during raids in Quezon City and Caloocan City.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome identified the arrested suspects as Salvador Rosales, 29; Kaironin Balang Ditucalan, 25; Japar Pangadamen Balang, 45; Nasroding Tumawis Balang, 29; Jamaela Gumising Sultan, 26; and Anthony Acosta Piosla, 35.
Bartolome said the suspects were arrested one after the other when Rosales was accosted by police officers and barangay tanods while in possession of a stolen Honda XRM 125cc motorcycle (TI 5960) along Barangay Lipunan, in Quezon City at about 4:40 a.m. Monday.
Rosales’ cohort, identified as Rudy, escaped but left behind another stolen motorcycle Honda XRM 125cc (4001-NR).
During tactical interrogation, Pascual admitted being part of a group that stole motorcycles in different parts of Metro Manila and bring them in Caloocan City to be fenced or sold by parts or chop-chop.
A joint Quezon City and Caloocan City police follow-up operation led to the arrest of the five other suspects, identified by Rosales as “buyers” of the stolen motorcycles, and the recovery of 13 more motorcycles suspected to have been stolen by the group. – Non Alquitran, Jerry Botial