A TOP police official in Cagayan de Oro City said the suspects responsible in the recent string of robbery cases involving the courier firm LBC Express Inc. are possible remnants of a robbery group based in Ozamiz City.
City police director Senior Superintendent Nelson Aganon said one of the suspects, Roosevelt Bedro, who got arrested in a hot pursuit operation after the Sunday's robbery of LBC Velez-Neri branch, was the supposed leader of the break-away Bedro Robbery Group.
The other suspect, Archolito Palubon alias “Bingkol” escaped during the operation.
“Ang information is itong Bedro robbery group is remnants ng Ozamiz group na nag-break away,”Aganon said.
The report revealed that the group is composed of five members. Authorities are yet to identify the other members.
Police said they will also look into other robbery incidents that the group possibly committed.
Aganon said the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) has received reports that a group linked to the Ozamiz robbery group will strike in the city.
He said the group arrived in the city two months ago.
“Mga bata pa to siguro test mission nila ito at naka-tiempo siguro at nakitang maluwag ang security ng LBC kasi sunod-sunod eh,” Aganon said.
Investigators are hoping that they could extract more information about the group during the tactical interrogation on the arrested suspect.
Authorities pressed two counts of robbery, illegal possession of explosives and drug charges against the two suspects.
Aganon said the group leader previously yielded to the government's anti-illegal drug campaign “Oplan Tokhang.”
The city's top cop said robbers have carted away around half million pesos from four robbery cases in several LBC branches since last September.
Authorities have since then advised the courier firm to step up and tighten their security measures by employing security personnel which the management failed to heed and follow.
Aganon said that security is not just a police concern even as the authorities' security strategies are enhanced to deter criminality around the city.