Wednesday, May 28, 2008 Sketches of robbery suspects out
CEBU City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said the bounty dangled by Mayor Tomas Osmeña for policemen who could arrest or kill robbers will motivate police officers to work hard.
But Comendador reminded his men that running after criminals “should always be done in accordance with the law.”
He brushed off fears that Osmeña’s offer will result in summary executions and in policemen becoming trigger happy.
Osmeña earlier said an off-duty policeman who could arrest robbers will receive P20,000. It’s P50,000 if the policeman gets to kill the robber.
Osmeña made the offer after the heist on two jewelry stores in Magallanes St. last Saturday. At least eight robbers ran off with more than P13 million worth of assorted jewelry.
Osmeña believes his offer will discourage robbers from victimizing Cebuanos.
Apart from the complaint of robbery with homicide and physical injury, a homicide complaint had been filed against suspects Emmanuel Alemboyong Cara-balle, Baby Lapinid Toring and eight other unidentified persons at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, Comendador said.
He said the homicide complaint was filed by the family of 57-year-old Remedio Dungog, the civilian who died after he was caught in the crossfire between a policeman and the robbers. He was hit in the chest.
The policeman belongs to the the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) 7.
Manhunt
Comendador said the manhunt against the other robbers who victimized Oro Sugbu Pawnshop and Jewelry Store and Agencia Anne continues.
Comendador released yesterday the cartographic sketches of the two men who bought the getaway car, a Toyoto Lite Ace van (GDJ 400) from a car sales center in Mandaue City a day before last Saturday’s heist.
The sales receipt said one of the men who bought the car was a certain Erwin Ignacio from Dumaguete City.
Comendador said they are now verifying the name.
He said the Theft and Robbery Section is coordinating with its counterpart in Dumaguete City for a background check on Ignacio.
Exact amount
On the total amount of loot taken by the robbers, Comendador said, they are checking if more than P13 million were indeed lost to the robbers.
He said conducting a double check is part of the standard operating procedure in the investigation.
Comendador said there have been instances when robbery victims jacked up the amount that they lost, although he clarified he is not accusing the jewelry store owners of bloating the amount taken from them.
Comendador, on the other hand, said 15 more personnel from the RMG 7 were assigned to the city’s police force yesterday.
The 15 policemen will be deployed in the streets to increase police visibility in the city. (JST)
