Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Cops to move for inclusion of homicide raps v. ‘robbers’
THE Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will move for amendment of information on the robbery with homicide case filed against the suspects in last year’s La Nueva Supermart robbery after a witness identified alleged gang leader Roy Fernandez as one of the culprits.
CCPO Director Patrocinio Comendador said he told Theft and Robbery Section Chief Michael Anthony Bastes to coordinate with the witness so a supplemental sworn statement can be submitted to the court.
The sworn statement will be used as evidence in filing an amendment of information on the charges filed against the robbery suspects.
Casimero “Meloy” Garcia, Cresencio “Brutz” Reguya, Danilo Flores and an unidentified man were charged with robbery with homicide for allegedly stealing P2,291,753 of La Nueva Supermart sales from a Metro Bank teller on Aug. 13 last year.
Escort guard Procoro Esguerra was killed during the robbery while another escort guard Medard Rama was injured.
Last Monday, when Flores’ and Fernandez’s faces came out in the news as among those arrested after an alleged shootout with police in Pasay City, a witness identified the alleged robbery gang leader as part of the team that robbed the La Nueva, Comendador said.
Comendador said he already informed National Capital Regional Police Office Director Geary Barias about Fernandez and Flores.
He hopes to file the amendment before Fernandez could post bail in Manila.
Comendador said Fernandez and Flores cannot go out of jail because a robbery with homicide case is non-bailable.
Police said Fernandez’s group, before it started operating in Cebu last year, focused its operations in Luzon. They were not only into major robberies but also kidnap-for-ransom activities.
Associated
Some members of the disbanded Casimero “Meloy” Garcia robbery group were reportedly used to be associated with Fernandez’s group.
Fernandez is reportedly a former member of the Mindanao-based Kuratong Baleleng gang and an alleged former military man.
Fernandez carries the aliases Yoyong, Yoyo, Kuya, Payoy and Richard. He resides in Manila but also has a house in San Jose, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte.
Fernandez reportedly owns at least six cars, including the Starex van (WNS 958) boarded by robbers during a shootout with the Pasay City police last Saturday.
Fernandez, Flores (who used the name George Avila) and Pascual Mata were arrested. Albert Almedilla, another member of the robbery group, was killed in the shootout. (JST)
