TWO notorious robbers, who are members of the Epogon robbery group, were arrested in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City Monday, April 1.
Police identified the suspects as Arnold Rivera, 21, of Barangay E. Lopez, Silay City; and Romy Hituro, 34, of Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City.
Lieutenant Colonel Leonardo Borromeo, head of the Intelligence Section of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), along with the Naval Forces Central operatives, led the operation against the suspects.
The suspects were on board a motorcycle when they were flagged down by policemen for inspection, after authorities received reports from concerned citizens about the presence of armed men in the area past 9 p.m.
Confiscated from the suspects during the operation were an M16 baby armalite rifle, three 9mm caliber pistols, a hand grenade, 19 ammunition of 9mm caliber pistol, an improvised chisel, and a sack.
The recovered items were brought to Police Station 9 for proper disposition.
Police said the suspects were behind the series of robbery and hold-up incidents in some parts of Negros Occidental in the past three months, and some areas in Bacolod City.
The BCPO has been monitoring them for quite some time after receiving intelligence reports about the existence of the group.
They were reportedly linked to robbery incidents at the Negros Occidental Northern Electric Cooperative in Manapla town, Tanduay distillery plant in Murcia town, and some gasoline stations.
They were also allegedly involved in the robbery-homicide case in Bago City.
Both suspects were detained at the police station awaiting the filing of charges for illegal possession of firearms, illegal possession of explosives, and violation of the Commission on Elections gun ban against them. (GYM)