COMBINED elements of La Carlota City, La Castellana police and the 613th Provincial Mobile Group arrested a 30-year-old robbery hold-up suspect over the weekend in Barangay Talaptap, La Castellana.

Chief Inspector Rico Santotome Jr., spokesman of the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Noppo), identified the apprehended suspect as Aladin Palcutan, a resident of Sitio Ilabo, Barangay Binubuhan in Bago City.

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He was arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Francisco Rodriguez of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 63-La Carlota City for “qualified robbery,” with bail set at P100,000 for his temporary liberty.

Also arrested by policemen, led by Chief Inspector David Cachumbo, chief of La Carlota City Police, were Palcutan's alleged cohorts Eduard Acupan alias “Apog,” 24, a resident of Barangay Talaptap; Juven Yusyusan, 21, and Jobert Cabreros, 20, both residents of Barangay Maytubig in nearby Isabela town.

A caliber .38 homemade revolver with four live ammunition and another caliber .357 revolver with three rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspects’ possession when policemen swooped down on their lair.

Witnesses pointed to the four suspects as those responsible for the series of hold-up incidents in the area of central Negros, particularly the payroll robbery incident that transpired at Hacienda Dos Marias in Barangay San Miguel in La Carlota City recently.

Noppo director Manuel Felix lauded his men for the successful neutralization of Palcutan's group and directed Cachumbo to file charges for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition against the apprehended suspects.

Meanwhile, following the arrest of two suspected illegal drugs traffickers in E.B. Magalona and Valladolid last Friday, Noppo issued an ultimatum against defiant drug pushers still operating in the province.

This after 38-year-old Gilbert Javelosa of Barangay Tanza in EB Magalona was nabbed by combined elements of the local police headed by Chief Inspector Samuel Mina and Noppo's SOTF-AIDSOTG for selling marijuana.

His uncle, identified as Rodolfo Javelosa alias “Henry,” eluded arrest after sensing the presence of policemen.

In another buy-bust operation, Danny Abuela alias “Kumpol,” 45, a resident of Purok Tondo, Barangay Poblacion in Valladolid town, was also arrested after he handed two sticks of marijuana to a police asset for P20.

Both suspects are presently detained pending the filing of charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in court.

Felix said the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) supply reduction strategy on illegal drugs in Negros Occidental is effective with the help of the Provincial Government and the cooperation of the various stakeholders, particularly the community.