Sunday, October 12, 2008 2 of 3 robbery suspects caught after gunbattle
THE Mandaue City police arrested the suspects in a drive-by robbery Friday night after a 30-minute chase and gunbattle that ended when the suspects jumped into the Mahiga Creek near the Cebu International Port (CIP).
Nobody was hit by gunfire, but one of the suspects has scratches and bruises after their motorcycle crashed.
Police arrested Teofilo Manalo, 25, and Nestor Cabahug, 25, from Barangay Labogon and Estancia-Ibabao, respectively. A third suspect, Jay Loberanes, disappeared in the murky waters of Mahiga Creek.
Manalo has bruises in the arms and knee and a big scratch in his right ear and the side of his head.
Police recovered from the suspects a cell phone, a .357 revolver, five shells and a bullet.
Loot missing
They also impounded their black motorcycle with plate number 7845, reportedly registered in Consolacion.
Police believe that some of the loot got lost during the chase.
Chief Insp. Eddie Recamara, who led the five teams that arrested the suspects, said the chase started on A.S. Fortuna in Barangay Banilad at 8 p.m. Friday and ended 30 minutes later inside the CIP compound.
He said the three suspects were blamed for three incidents that night and allegedly pointed their gun at surprised victims as they passed by Barangays Tabok, Maguikay and Banilad.
It was on A.S. Fortuna St. where Police Officers I Sandy Baclay, Ronald Gomez and Jason Entrera received the alarm while on patrol.
They met the suspects fleeing on a motorcycle, as people shouted, “Tulisan (Robbers)!”
The three policemen immediately chased them and radioed their headquarters, describing the suspects and their motorcycle as it headed toward M.C. Briones St.
Various police units immediately positioned themselves in different intersections, on the lookout for the suspects.
Grand production
Recamara, with his Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team, spotted the three. Together with operatives from the Investigation and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB), Theft and Robbery Section, Homicide and Intelligence, Recamara and his police teams tailed the suspects at the reclamation area.
Manalo was the first to fall in the hands of the police when their motorcycle crashed.
IDMB operative PO3 Jun Tago said the two remaining suspects fired at the police.
While shooting, Cabahug and Loberanes ran towards Mahiga Bridge and jumped over.
Policemen entered the CIP compound to take a closer look at the creek and spotted Cabahug. Loberanes disappeared.
Manalo and Cabahug are now detained at the Subangdaku Police Station while the police prepares robbery and illegal possession of firearms charges.
Two of their alleged victims already reported to the police—Fritzgerald Patindol and Astrid Rose Rosal, who lost a M73 Nokia phone and a 3230 Nokia phone, respectively.
Police are still waiting for other victims to come out. (OCP)
