Wednesday, August 29, 2007
4 in Cebu heist fall
By Rianne C. Tecson & Jovy S. Taghoy
Of Sun.Star Cebu
TWO leaders and two members of the Casimero Garcia Robbery Group were captured hours after they exchanged gunshots with security guards of a bank in Tagbilaran City, Bohol that they had just robbed.
Casimero “Meloy” Garcia and Cresencio “Bruts” Reguya, a former Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit member, were separately arrested by a joint police team.
Reguya was arrested after he was hit in a shootout that followed the robbery of Bank of Commerce at the corner of CPG Ave. and Borja St. at 11:40 a.m.
Security guards identified as Terson Poledo and Meliton Lamoste were also injured. Poledo was shot in the stomach, the bullet exiting at the side. Lamoste, 30, was took bullets in the right arm and shoulder.
The two were taken to a hospital, where Reguya is also confined. Reguya is said to be in critical condition after suffering
seven gunshot wounds.
Security guard Remegio “Bobong” Cajes, however, was killed after trading shots with Reguya’s group. He died instantly.
Reports said the three guards and a bank employee identified only as Anabelle had just arrived at the parking area in a van
after getting money from Unitop Tagbilaran for deposit when six men surrounded them.
The money was placed inside two bags. The robbers, however, escaped with only one bag.
Bohol Provincial Police Chief Edgardo Ingking later said in a radio dySS interview that P90,000 cash and an undetermined amount of checks were taken.
Tagbilaran City policemen, headed by Chief Insp. Jacinto Cesar, were hunting down the rest of the gang in Escaya Beach Resort in Barangay Tawala, Panglao.
Five hours after the shootout, a joint police team arrested Meloy Garcia, Gilven Nuez and Sofronio Remoreras, driver of the getaway vehicle, inside the Dumaluan Beach Resort on Panglao island.
Garcia’s girlfriend, who was with the leader of the robbery group, was also arrested.
They were arrested by elements of the Tagbilaran Police Station, Bohol Tourist Police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bohol team.
CIDG-Bohol team leader Germano Mallari told Sun.Star Cebu last night that Garcia and his two other companions were arrested past 5 p.m. after the resort’s security guard identified the robbery leader and spotted a bleeding Nuez with an injury on his shoulder.
A radio dySS report last night said Garcia and Nuez checked in the resort to give Nuez first aid.
Having recognized Garcia and seeing the wounded Nuez, the security guard immediately called up the nearby Tourist Police Office, located some 200 meters away.
Former Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan, owner of the resort, also called up Mallari about Garcia’s presence.
Mallari said there was no resistance from Garcia’s group when the police operatives swooped down on them. The same radio report, however, said Garcia attempted to pull out a handgun.
Police recovered P30,000 from Garcia, believed to be part of the money they took from the bank earlier in the day.
Ingking said the arrest of the four leaves them hunting for only two remaining members of the Casimero Garcia Robbery Group.
Garcia, Nuez and Remoreras are now detained at the Tagbilaran Police Station, while police gather more evidence before filing charges against them.
Aside from being responsible for several robbery incidents, Garcia is also facing murder and frustrated murder charges.
Meanwhile, Acting Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador sent a three-man team to Bohol last night after learning about the development.
CCPO Deputy Director for Operations Pablo Labra II, in a separate interview, said they are hoping that the arrest of the four suspects will help lessen, if not stop, the incidence of robbery in Cebu.
Garcia’s group is said to be responsible for at least six robberies that have hit various establishments in Cebu for this year alone. (With Superbalita)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 29, 2007 issue)
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