|
Friday, July 22, 2005
'Robber', shut out in sharing of P2M loot, squeals
By Mia E. Abellana
With Jovy S. Taghoy
CEBU CITY -- Angry that he only got a small share out of a P2-million loot, a man who claimed to have participated in a recent robbery informed police of the presence of three men allegedly part of the robbery gang led by Danny Limotan.
Presented to reporters Thursday were Glenn "Tito" Jaime, 28, his brother Aladdin Jaime, 22, and Ronillo Nuñez, 34, in Barangays Maslog and Sabang, Danao City.
Police also took Aladdin's blue-green Honda Accord and Nuñez's Tamaraw van and motorcycle.
These are believed to be vehicles they acquired after the robberies pulled with Limotan. The police also said that the three admitted to have been recruited by Limotan's estranged partner Rey Torres.
Chief Inspector Juanito Enguerra of the Provincial Special Operations Group said an informant called them up at 8 p.m. Thursday and told them about the alleged participation of the three men.
The informant told police that they had participated in the heist on Premier Shipping, which lost P2 million last July 1.
Three of its employees had just withdrawn cash from Metrobank and were supposed to transfer the money to an account in Equitable-PCI Bank.
The Jaime brothers and Nuñez, later interviewed by Sun.Star Cebu, said they were shocked when they were presented to the media as robbery suspects and made to wear orange detainee shirts.
The police only told them they were brought in for questioning.
Though Glenn admitted that Limotan's mother was his father's sister, he said they were not involved in robberies.
"It's true we're cousins, but we haven't been going out together," Glenn said, adding that the last time he saw Limotan was last year.
In a separate interview, Limotan said he has never met the Jaime brothers. But he admitted that his middle name is Jaime and that his mother hails from Danao City.
Limotan, 32, was born in Barangay Navalan, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur but transferred residency in Ramon Magsaysay, a neighboring municipality were he was a registered voter.
Unlike the previous days when he was responsive to reporters' questions, Limotan yesterday declined to comment further upon the advice of his lawyer.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Pablo Labra II, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, said that Glenn has long been identified to be involved with arrested robbery suspect Rey Torres' group.
Labra, however, said Alladin and Nuñez have not been tagged in any robberies allegedly perpetrated by Torres' group.
However, Chief Inspector Enguerra also said that the three men earlier admitted to several robberies when they were questioned in front of Senior Superintendent Drusillo Bolodo, acting Cebu provincial police chief.
He narrated that Glenn claimed participation in the robbery of Arnold Cellphone Shop on M.J. Cuenco Ave., Cebu City and the Pepsi Warehouse in the North Reclamation Area.
Aladdin allegedly had a hand in the heists pulled on rice wholesalers in Mandaue City and Pasil, the Agencia Mejor Pawnshop in Pasil and a money changing shop in Mabolo.
Nuñez allegedly admitted to be part of the gang that robbed Premier Shipping, the Pepsi warehouse and a rice wholesaler in Mandaue City.
They pointed to Limotan's estranged partner, Rey Torres, as the gang leader and the one who distributed the loot among the members.
They also blamed Torres for their predicament, saying he was the one who recruited them.
"Swapang" was how they described him, saying he did not give them a fair share of the amounts they ran off with.
The three also reportedly claimed that it was Torres and Limotan who often executed the robberies while they stood as lookouts and drove the getaway vehicles.
Enguerra said the two warrants issued against Limotan included the three men.
Showing warrants issued by Judge Generosa Labra and Judge Jesus dela Peña, he said the John Does and Peter Doe specified in the warrant were the Jaime brothers and Nuñez.
Labra, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 23, issued a warrant for robbery in band last July 15, 2005, against Limotan, Nardo Abapo and one "John Doe" and recommended a P100,000 bail.
Dela Peña, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court in Lapu-lapu City, issued an arrest warrant against Limotan and for a "John Doe" and "Peter Doe" last Dec. 8, 2004.
He recommended a P100,000 bail for robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons.
However, lawyer Benedicto Alo questioned this, saying police could not arrest their clients if the warrants did not bear their real names.
"There is no valid reason to continue detaining my clients (and) we are immediately requesting for the release...and the return of their things," Alo said in a letter addressed to the provincial police director.
Despite this argument, Enguerra insisted that the three were already under arrest and accepted Alo's decision to file a writ of habeas corpus.
Enguerra said he consulted the legal service at the Police Regional Office 7 and he was told the arrest was valid. With this, Alo said he had no choice but to take legal action against Enguerra and Bolodo. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(July 22, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Government to void pact with communist group