THE Eastern Mindanao Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (EastMinCidu) is set to file charges before the City Prosecutor’s Office against a high-profile robbery suspect arrested for trying to pawn P1.8 million worth of stolen jewelry items at a pawnshop on San Pedro St. in Davao City Wednesday.
EastminCidu director Sr. Supt. Joel Pernito identified the arrested suspect as Jose Paulo Cadungog, alias Jun, 18. He was arrested after operatives acted on the complaint of Angelita Fernandez, a professor of the University of Mindanao (UM) and a resident of Village 10, Bugac, Ma-a.
Based on an e-mailed report of EastMinCidu, the operation took place around 11 a.m. Police presented the jewelries to Fernandez who confirmed that it was hers.
Prior to the incident, Fernandez appeared before the EastMinCidu and told police that she was robbed on Tuesday morning. Police then conducted further investigation which led to the identification of the suspect.
Police further revealed that Cadungog is part of a robbery syndicated group based on the suspect's confession.
"The suspect asserted that he is just one of the victims of a big-time robbery syndicate, headed by alias `Toto', operating in different areas of Region 11. He also revealed that he is just one of the victims trained to become a thief and are deployed in different places in the region every now and then," the report stated.
The suspect is currently detained at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) detention facility. The stolen jewelries, meanwhile, were documented for evidence during court proceedings before it was returned to the owner.