Suspects in shooting of TV director nabbed

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested four members of a notorious robbery group tagged as suspects in the shooting of a television director last February shortly after they pulled off another heist in Marikina City Tuesday.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Director Samuel Pagdilao identified the suspects as Romeo Pascua, 52, a retired Army staff sergeant, Mark Gregorio, 26, Bartolome Dacoy, 44, and Roger Calagos, 52. 

Pagdilao said the CIDG operatives arrested the suspects after they carried out a robbery at the Marikina City public market on Aug. 28.

The CIDG chief said Pascua confessed that their members Arnel Clarito and a certain Nick were behind the shooting of Crisologo Pangan, ABS-CBN technical director for Pinoy Big Brother, Goin’ Bulilit and dzMM, along Mother Ignacia street in February.

The suspects held up a footwear store inside the market prior to their arrest.

Recovered from the suspects were P105,240 cash, two .45 caliber pistols, one .38 caliber revolver, ammunition, three fragmentation hand grenades, cell phones, bladed weapons, watches and different identification cards.

Police said the suspects were also implicated in the robbery in Barangay De la Paz, Pasig City where they shot and wounded a victim before fleeing with P40,000 last Aug. 2 and in Mariveles, Bataan where they fatally shot two victims and carted away at least P600,000 in cash on July 14; and the heist in Calumpang, Marikina City where they stole over P130,000 worth of cash and valuables on Aug. 4.

Chief Inspector Agosto Daskeo, CIDG-AOCD chief, said they are verifying the involvement of the suspects in more than 20 cases of robbery/hold-up and shooting incidents in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.