POLICE arrested on Monday, July 9, six suspects believed to have been responsible for several car break-ins in Metro Manila and some nearby provinces including Bulacan and Rizal.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar said the six have been charged with robbery.
He identified the suspected leader of the group as Julius Batac, 25. The alleged members are Elvin Duanan, 33; Rodelio Sibug, 52; Rosana Mae Maramias, 20; Eugenia Argawanon, 34 and Harlan Requilman, 35.
They were arrested in their alleged hideout in Cubarubias Street in Barangay Tañong, Marikina City around 1:30 a.m. Monday.
Eleazar said the arrests were the result of the follow-up operation conducted jointly by the Quezon City and Marikina police following a report from Benson Bong Paras, 43, an executive officer of Barangay Milagrosa in Quezon City, whose vehicle was broken into.
Paras said that at around 6:30 p.m. on July 8, he parked his vehicle, a silver Toyota Innova, in front of a hardware along Katipunan Avenue and went inside a steak house for dinner.
Inside the restaurant, Paras noticed a “suspicious” person going around his vehicle.
Paras said he rushed to his car when he saw the man pick up a stone and smash his vehicle’s window.
He said he tried to confront the suspect but two men on board a motorcycle approached them and ordered Paras at gunpoint to let go of their companion.
The suspects fled towards Santolan road, but not before taking his cellphone worth P10,000 and P2,000 cash.
Police said they recovered from the gang's hideout a caliber 22 revolver with four ammunition, one sachet of suspected shabu, three motorcyles and suspected stolen items including bags, wallets, wrist watches and laptops. Police also recovered assorted identification cards in the said place which believed to be from their victims.
Eleazar said Paras positively identified Duanan and Requilman as the persons who arrived on board a motorcycle and threatened him.
Esquivel said the group is involved in 19 "basag-kotse" incidents in Quezon City alone. (SunStar Philippines)