THE van driver, who connived with two robbers who were killed in a shootout with Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City on Friday, is facing robbery with homicide charges.
Senior Inspector Hercules Trigue Jr., deputy chief for administration of Bago City Police Station, said the case was already filed against Ruben Cuelo, 38, of Murcia town before the Bago City Prosecutor’s Office around 8:30 a.m. yesterday.
On August 10, Armelle Espadon, 30, and his cousin Ryan Alib, 30, both residents of Barangay Canlandog, Murcia town robbed a panel van of cigarette firm Japan Tobacco International in Barangay Taloc and carted away cash collection amounting to P39,490 from Christopher Gapay, 32, of Barangay 7, Bacolod City.
The Swat which is situated at the boundary of Bago and Bacolod for border security patrol was informed by a tricycle driver, who passed by the area and witnessed the incident.
A brief chase then followed and the suspects were cornered in front of Sum-ag National High School, where four civilians, including the daughter of Isabela Mayor Joselito Malabor, were hit by stray bullets during the shootout.
Espadon and Alib, who were remnants of Agustin Criminal Gang that engaged in gun-for-hire and robbery hold-up activities, were killed during the shootout.
Also killed during the crossfire was pedicab driver Delfin Ortiz, 70, of the said village, while injured were 71-year-old Estrella Claridad, Walter Dojena, and Malabor’s daughter.
Police recovered from the scene two .38 caliber revolvers and a motorcycle owned by the two suspects, the stolen money amounting to P39,460, a cellular phone owned by one of the suspects, six fired bullets of .9mm caliber, 15 fired bullets of an M16 rifle, and two slugs.
Even if police have yet to determine whose bullet hit the four civilians, Trigue said the fiscal and the Philippine National Police (PNP) recommended to file the said criminal complaint against Cuelo.
Cuelo admitted his connivance with Espadon and Alib after the police found out his text messages to one of the deceased robbers.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)–Western Visayas, said in a text message yesterday that they are currently investigating the case to determine who shot the civilians.
Bulalacao also said the investigation will also determine if police had lapses during the operation. (GYM/SunStar Bacolod)