5 nabbed for robbing Customs official, aide

MANILA, Philippines - Five persons were arrested over the weekend for allegedly robbing a Bureau of Customs (BOC) official and his aide on two separate occasions, officials said yesterday.

They are reportedly part of a group whose modus operandi is to rear-end the vehicle of their prospective victim or use a beautiful woman “in distress” as bait, according to Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano.

Ephraim John Evangelista, alias Paeng; Raul Hunat; Jackylene Cleto and brothers John Mark and Jomel Tamalla were arrested Saturday morning after reportedly robbing Dennis Demesa, an aide of BOC lawyer Julito Doria, Friday night.

Demesa told police that he was on Katipunan Avenue at around 6 p.m. when a woman asked him to help her with her stalled Honda Jazz, according to Inspector Alan dela Cruz, who heads the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit’s theft and robbery investigation section.

As Demesa alighted from his Toyota Innova, two men approached him and robbed him at gunpoint, taking his clutch bag that contained P10,000.

Dela Cruz said Demesa identified Evangelista and Hunat from file photos of suspected criminals as the men who robbed him.

Albano said police officers on patrol chanced upon a blue Honda Jazz, occupied by two men, without license plates Saturday morning. The two men – later identified as the Tamalla brothers – were arrested following a brief chase. Firearms, ammunition and explosives were found in the car.

Linking heists

Investigators linked the Tamalla brothers to the April 16 robbery at Doria’s house after the two men divulged the identities of their accomplices, QCPD deputy director for administration Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao said.

With tips from informants, Pagdilao said police officers went to Pandacan, Manila on Saturday morning. Demesa identified Cleto, who was talking with a barangay official, as the same woman who flagged him down.

Demesa then saw Evangelista and Hunat by the door of a house in Pandacan. A 9mm pistol was confiscated from Evangelista, Pagdilao said.

Pagdilao said they recovered the blue Jazz in the area and found Demesa’s clutch bag in the car.

Dela Cruz said they also conducted a followup operation in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and found a Shih Tzu, a digital video disc player, and iPhone 5 and a .40 caliber CZ pistol stolen from Doria.

Bump and rob

On April 16, Doria was driving his Toyota Innova, with his nephew as his passenger, when the suspects rear-ended his vehicle. When he got out of his car to check the damage, the suspects commandeered the Innova until they reached Doria’s house in Ciudad Regina Subdivision in Barangay Batasan Hills.

The suspects ransacked Doria’s house and hogtied the members of his household, QCPD-CIDU head Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo said.

Once the suspects had taken around P1.4 million in cash and valuables, they forced Doria and his nephew into the Innova and then left them in the Galas area, Marcelo said.

Mastermind

Albano identified Resty Branzuela, alias Gaga, as the man who leads the group. He remains at large.

He also identified Jesus Avram Osongco, Nino Polo, “Jonjon” and “Ogie” as the group’s other members.

According to Albano, the group usually uses a tipster to identify their target.

He cited the case of Doria, who was tailed and whose vehicle was eventually rear-ended by the suspects.

“The group will conduct surveillance and casing operation utilizing their stolen motorcycles,” Albano said.

He said the group also uses the “pretty woman scheme,” apparently referring to Cleto. “A good Samaritan, especially men, will stop and try to help her. At that juncture, the other members will strike,” Albano said.