Garcia doubles bounty for robbers’ arrest

ACTING Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has doubled the cash reward he plans to give to any individual who can lead police to the suspects in the simultaneous robberies of two jewelry stores last Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.

Garcia said he wants police to build a strong case so that when cases are filed, they will not be dismissed due to lack of evidence just like a previous robbery case involving Oro Sugbo Pawnshop in downtown Cebu City last November 25, 2023.

“I want to see this through with conviction if ever the evidence is strong,” said Garcia in a mix of Cebuano and English during a press conference on Monday, August 12.

Garcia said police already identified three suspects and five witnesses.

The acting mayor is now offering P200,000 for the arrest of the suspects instead of the P100,000 he earlier announced.

Six armed men robbed DGC D’ Gold Chain Jewelry Store and Macy Gold and Silver, both located in Barangay Ermita, at past 11 a.m. on Thursday, carting away an estimated P14 million worth of jewelry.

Macy Gold reported losing P10 million worth of jewelry, while DGC D’ Gold reported losses amounting to P4 million.

CCPO

Garcia said the case can be the factor to determine whether Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Acting Director Col. Antonietto Cañete can keep his post permanently.

“I told him that his permanency will really depend a lot on this particular case,” said Garcia.

Garcia said he also told Cañete that he wanted to see immediate results as he has not fallen short in his support to the Cebu City police.

Garcia recalled that eight patrol cars and 50 firearms were turned over to the CCPO by the City days before the Palarong Pambansa 2024 started.

“Then next month, there will be a groundbreaking for the P50 million worth of renovation for our headquarters. This will boost their morale. We did not fall short.

“So, I said, ‘you must deliver,’” Garcia said.

The CCPO has launched a massive manhunt for the suspects involving all police stations in the city and special units of the PNP such as the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 and the intelligence unit of the Police Regional Office.

“So far, we have obtained very good leads; but right now, I’d like to refrain from revealing any details because there are really valuable information that we are holding right now that could lead us to identify some of the persons involved in that particular incident,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, CCPO deputy city director for operations.

Macatangay said based on information gathered by police, some of the robbers were not from Cebu and were involved in different types of criminal activities.

Police recovered only one of three motorcycles used in the crime.

CCTV footage also showed that apart from the three motorcycles, the robbers used a getaway car.

“We are just trying to ensure that the evidence that we have will really be tight and the case can stand in court,” said Macatangay. / JPS, AYB