Police office downgrades raps vs 'Buak'

THE City Prosecutor’s Office (CPO) recommended the filing of theft instead of robbery charges against the four suspects tagged in the series of car robberies in Davao City.

In a resolution, Prosecutor Victoriano Bello Jr. dropped the robbery complaint against the respondents since it “cannot be appreciated despite the violence upon things, that is the breaking of the door of the Fortuner” owned by the complainant.

The car owner, who requested that his name be withheld, was one of the victims who came forward to identify some of the items recovered from the suspects following their arrest in General Santos City last October 16.

The four accused who were charged with robbery are Joey Aguirre Masayon, 35, of Silway Fatima; Melanie Gulfan Aguirre, 24, of Purok Uhaw in Barangay Fatima; Tristan Ocampo Sumaoang, 40, of Morales Subdivision, all from General Santos City; and Leonardo Medel Valentin, 48, of Barrio Patay of Agdao.

“The violence must be directed to a dwelling,” Bello said in his resolution.

Masayon, Aguirre and Valintin posted P40,000 bail each on October 18 and were released from detention upon the directive order of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge George Omelio.

Based on the resolution, the car owner was at the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague in Matina Hills attending a pictorial for a dog show on October 14 and parked his Fortuner vehicle beside the road around 9:30 a.m.

When he returned to get his cameras at 10:15 a.m., he saw a man carrying a fully-loaded bag and running toward a white vehicle with three persons onboard. The white vehicle sped off.

Inspection showed the car owner lost Nikon D700 DSLR digital camera worth P85,000; Nikon digital lens 70-200 worth P85,000; Nikon digicam lens 35 mm. worth P10,000; Nikon digicam flash SB-800 worth P15,000; Phoflex battery drif D700 worth P5,000; Olympus digital camera OMD EMS with camera worth P50,000; Lenovo laptop color black worth P50,000; two polo uniform of camera club; four CF card; and two SD card.

The four respondents were arrested by the elements of the Talomo Police Station with Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) inside the General Santos Suites in Barangay Dadiangas East at 4 a.m. on October 16.

Recovered from the suspects were two units of Mazda vehicles and several cameras, laptops, cellular phones, shoulder bags, a gold necklace and other items which the police believe were stolen in separate occasions in Davao.

One of the cars seized from their possession is a black Mazda Familia Sedan while the other one is a white Mazda Familia Sedan. (Ariane Caryl N. Casas)