THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is now preparing the robbery with homicide charges to be filed against the alleged leader of the notorious Epogon crime group and his more than two companions who were responsible in the robbery and killing of a Belgian national in Villa Angela, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City on June 17.
Colonel Henry Binas, director of BCPO, said Friday, June 26, they are still finalizing the documents to be filed against Francisco Epogon alias "Junjun," 30, who was arrested in Sitio Patic, Purok 2, Barangay Isio, Cauayan on June 21.
He said they will also file charges against Epogon's more than two companions who were involved in the robbery and killing of Carl Nolens, a Belgian national.
He added that Junjun was positively identified by the witnesses.
On June 17, unidentified armed robbers ransacked the house of the victim by detaching the grill fence. They climbed a tree near the terrace on the second floor and took two bags containing cash and jewelries.
Nolens tried to fight back, but one of the robbers fired at him on the stomach and fled.
Nolens's wife, Liza Marie, was also injured after she jumped off from the second floor of their house, while two of their companions inside the house were also tied up by the robbers in a room.
On June 21, Epogon was arrested by operatives of Cauayan Municipal Police Station and the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PUI) of the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office by virtue of arrest warrant for robbery in band issued by Judge Rodney Magbanua, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 61 in Kabankalan City dated February 28, 2020.
Binas said the group was also behind the ransacking of the house of Dr. Carlitos Orola in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod on February 19.
He said there is also a possibility that the group was behind the robbery at a house in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod on February 29.
The group is also suspected to be responsible for robbery incidents that victimized the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, a rice mill in Bago City, Negros Occidental, and another rice mill in Negros Oriental.
Binas said the group was also behind the robbery of a college building in Northern area of Iloilo.
He said robbery charges were already filed against them after they ransacked the house of Orola and they are only waiting for the issuance of arrest warrant, while the Iloilo police will also file separate charges against the group.
On the case the Belgian national, he added that the case is already solved since one of the suspects was already arrested.