Two men nabbed w/ guns, P360K cash at Iloilo checkpoint

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - Two persons were arrested by policemen manning a checkpoint at Brgy. Quintin Salas in Jaro district of this city Monday afternoon.

The two, identified as Charlston Tirol, 30, and Sanny Domingo, 38, both of Tibao town in Antique, however did not make it easy for policemen to collar them.

Members of the Iloilo City Public Safety Company (ICPSC) had to go through a 2-kilometer chase before catching the suspects at Brgy. Buhang in Jaro.

Riding-in-tandem Tirol and Domingo first caught police's attention when they, before reaching the checkpoint, quickly made a U-turn and sped off.

It prompted the policemen to go after the two who were riding a motorcycle (plate number FK-8732). When they were finally caught, the police asked for the driver's license of Tirol first, but he failed to show one.

Further check revealed that Tirol's bag contained two firearms—a .9mm (Taurus) pistol with two magazines loaded with 18 live ammunitions and an Ingram machine pistol with a magazine loaded with 15 live ammunitions.

The .9mm pistol has a license named under Tirol but he has no permit to carry firearm outside of residence (PTCFOR) while the Ingram has no pertinent documents whatsoever. The bag also contained a stamp pad, four mobile phones, and P360,000 in cash.

Superintendent Uldarico Garbanzos, director of the ICPSC, said the suspects claimed they just came from Negros Occidental, boarded a sea craft and arrived at Dumangas wharf at around 2:00 p.m. Monday.

They said they were on their way to Antique province when they reached the checkpoint. "They claimed to be contract workers from Antique to work at a sugarcane plantation in Negros Occidental," Garbanzos told The Freeman.

About the money taken from the suspects' possession, "they claimed that it was the salary of the workers and they were about to bring it to their families back to Antique," said Garbanzos, adding that the suspects also told investigators that the firearms were supposed to be their protection because they were bringing in a large sum of money.

Yesterday morning, Garbanzos confirmed that members of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) communicated with them in a bid to link the suspects to the P3.6 million robbery in Bacolod City. However, footage from the closed circuit television (CCTV) taken during the robbery showed that the faces of the robbers did not match those of Tirol and Domingo.

Garbanzos said criminal charges would be filed immediately against the two suspects for alleged disobedience to lawful order. On top of that, Domingo will also be charged for driving without license and violation of Republic Act 8294 (illegal possession of firearm and ammunitions).

Garbanzos said the police will return the P360,000 cash taken on the suspects' possession because it has nothing to do with the charges against them.

Meanwhile, Garbanzos said that checkpoint operations in strategic areas in Iloilo City would be strengthened further and would be done on a 24/7 basis.

It can be noted that the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) has further intensified its police visibility and conduct of checkpoints following crimes involving riding-in-tandem. - THE FREEMAN