Salisi gang members arrested

CEBU, Philippines - Four suspected thieves who allegedly took a Korean national’s high-end cellular phone inside a Duty Free shop in Mandaue City were arrested by the police last Friday in front of the Cebu City Hall.

The suspects were identified as Simplecio Conde, 43; Avelyn Gemino, 24; Kenneth Bugarin, 22; and Ramil Santos, 42, all from Dasmariñas, Cavite and alleged members of the Salisi Gang.

PO2 Rolandan Balimbing of Investigation Detection and Management Bureau (IDMB) of Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) identified the victim  as Lee Kyungae, 48, who is a temporary resident of Barangay Umapad.

Superintendent  Josepino Ligan, chief of the Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB) of MCPO led the arrest of the suspects.

Balimbing said the victim went shopping at the Duty Free shop in Barangay Umapad and the suspects were also there pretending to be costumers.

One of them allegedly went near Kyungae and took his Samsung galaxy cellphone worth P30,000.

Then, they immediately left the shop and boarded a taxi.

After the victim noticed that his cellphone was gone, he immediately asked for help from the shop management and was accompanied by the guard to the police to report the incident.

Ligan asked for a copy of the footage of the CCTV of the shop and identified the suspects when the police reviewed it.

Ligan’s group conducted a follow up operation that led to the suspects’ arrest in front of the Cebu City Hall. — Brenda D. Batuto,  Romeo T. Limpangog/MBG (FREEMAN)