Cops fail to catch suspects

MANILA, Philippines - Two suspects in the robbery of two jewelry stores at SM Megamall continued to elude police officers who raided two possible safehouses Monday, an official said yesterday.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said he dispatched tracker teams to Old Sta. Mesa, Manila and Taguig City, where Ben Panday and an alias Mark were monitored to be hiding.

Police officers from the EPD’s criminal investigation unit, led by Senior Inspector Oscar Mansibang, went home empty-handed after the raids, Laurel said in an interview.

Witnesses identified Panday and Mark among at least six men who robbed two jewelry stores at Megamall’s upper ground floor Saturday.

“When we showed the witnesses our rogues’ gallery, they did not hesitate to identify Panday and Mark as among those who robbed the jewelry stores,” Laurel said.

Witnesses said Mark held a handgun while Panday used a wrench to smash the jewelry stores’ display cases.

Lost gold

A total of 176 pieces of jewelry were lost during the robbery, Mandaluyong police chief Senior Superintendent Florendo Quibuyen said.

The F&C Jewelry store lost 10 rings and 17 chains made of “Saudi gold,” 21 earrings and a bracelet while The Jeweler store lost 71 necklaces, 52 pendants and four men’s rings made of Saudi gold, he added.

Investigators have yet to determine the total value of the lost jewelry, Quibuyen said.

Criminal history?

Laurel said Panday and Mark were reportedly among those who robbed a jewelry store in Binondo several years ago.

Mansibang told The STAR yesterday that the two men were also allegedly responsible for the jewelry store robberies in Iloilo City and Cavite.

Superintendent Remus Medina, EPD intelligence chief, said they are still coordinating with other police units for the identification of the other suspects in the Megamall robbery.

“We could not say as yet that the suspects belong to the ‘Martilyo (hammer) Gang’ but we are coordinating with police units where the gang struck in the past to gather evidence and help us identify the other suspects in the Megamall heist,” Medina said.