Thursday, May 08, 2008
Man linked to rob gang denies involvement
AN alleged member of the disbanded Ruel “Rey” Torres–Danilo Limotan robbery group, who was arrested in Zamboanga del Sur last February, arrived in Cebu yesterday to deny any involvement in the series of robberies linked to the group.
Junard D. Saladaga, 25, arrived with his wife at the Cebu City port past 11 a.m. on board a commercial vessel from Pagadian City.
Arrest
He was escorted by two operatives of the 9th Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group based in Zamboanga del Sur.
While the operatives said he was arrested at his house in Barangay Laperian in Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Saladaga claimed that he gave himself up to the police to clear his name.
A warrant of arrest for robbery issued by Judge Geraldine Faith Econg of the Regional Trial Court Branch 9 in Cebu City was served during the arrest.
A bail bond of P200,000 was recommended for Saladaga’s provisional liberty.
In an interview with reporters at the CIDG 7 headquarters yesterday, Saladaga said he left Cebu and lived with his wife in Zamboanga del Sur in 2004.
He admitted participating in at least two robberies that the group pulled off sometime in the early part of 2004.
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Having worked as a motorcycle-for-hire driver in Compostela, Cebu, Saladaga claimed Torres hired him to drive for the suspected robbery group leader on two occasions.
Torres was arrested in June 14, 2005 in Barangay Monte Alegre, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur. Limotan, on the other hand, was arrested the following month. Both are now detained at the Cebu City jail and are awaiting trial on the robbery cases filed against them.
Saladaga said he later found out that they were out to rob some establishments, one in Cebu City and another in Mandaue City.
In the first robbery, he received P150 as payment for using his motorcycle. For the second incident, Torres allegedly gave him P10,000 cash.
Saladaga, though, denied any involvement in the 2005 robberies of Aibee Minimart in Barangay Mabolo (Sept. 23); the P70,000 heist of East West Bank on Archbishop Reyes Ave. (Sept. 26); the Oct. 4 robbery of a fish trader in Barangay Capitol Site; the P40,000 robbery of a Countryside Entrepreneurship for People’s Empowerment and Development Cooperative (Cepedeco) branch last Oct. 6 and the Oct. 15 robbery of Western Union.
He said Torres only dragged his name to the incidents.
Saladaga’s wife, who asked not to be named, supported her husband’s claim.
She said that since late 2004, they have been living in the mountain barangay of Tukuran. They depend only on the financial support from her father, who is working overseas. (JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 8, 2008 issue)
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