Nelson Igoy Gutierrez Jr. and Ricoly Igoy picked the wrong time to hit Rural Bank of Cebu South Inc. in Barangay Poblacion, Carcar Cebu City.
They had no idea that Carcar was swarming with police officers because President Gloria Arroyo was supposed to visit the city yesterday.
Arroyo was said to be dropping by the Theotokos Shrine in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar after going to the Taheiyo Cement Corp. in nearby San Fernando town.
This was supposedly part of her activities in Cebu that was not published, as it was not open for media coverage.
The duo were also unlucky, as they failed to notice bank manager Webster Morales sneak out of the bank’s back door and rush to the Carcar City Police Station about 400 meters away.
Aside from the Carcar City policemen, two Regional Mobile Group (RMG) officers also happened to pass by the bank on their way to the shrine, supposedly to help the civil disturbance management team detailed there.
There were also the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Special Reaction Unit (SRU) officers who served as augmentation.
Before Gutierrez and Igoy knew it, the bank was surrounded by policemen, leaving them no choice but to hold hostage an employee.
Senior Supt. Carmelo Valmoria, CPPO director, and Carcar City Mayor Patrick Barcenas praised the officers for their swift action, and assured that appropriate rewards will be given.
Barcenas said he plans to give cash rewards to all 24 officers who took part in the operation while Valmoria said he will recommend that the policemen be given awards by the Police Regional Office 7.
One of the policemen was SPO1 Meliton Agadier, who has already been awarded twice for arrests he made in Cebu City while off duty.
Agadier ran after two men who robbed passengers of a Colon Street-bound jeepney along M. J. Cuenco Ave., Barangay Tinago in October 2006.
He was also a recipient of the 2002 annual award given to exemplary CPPO personnel, and responded to a snatching incident in 2003 in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, where he arrested the perpetrator.
Agadier felled Gutierrez in yesterday’s robbery incident when the hostage, bank employee Kashii Apostol, ducked, giving him a clear sight of the suspect’s chest.
SPO1 Kenneth Abella covered Agadier as he engaged Gutierrez.
Other responding officers were identified as SPO3s Jonas Pananganan, Reuben Renes, Rafael Satera; SPO1s Roland Navales, Erasmo Rosel, Jorame Tanod-tanod, Joseph Quimod, Socrates Familngan, Nestor Gascon, Aldrin Abayabay, Jose Alcoriza; PO3 Jose Yamasaki Repompo, Rolando Gantuanco, Teodor Fuentes, Reynaldo Fuentes, Alex Padin; and PO1s Edarth Dahili and Alex Buanghog.
The RMG policemen were identified as Senior Insp. Ceferino Tabay and PO1 Cyson Obiajada, while the SRU personnel were SPO1 Octavio dela Paz and PO1 Bernito Rio. (MEA)
