THE tandem riders who stole valuable items from their prey outside the Enriquez Compound in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City, have already been identified.
The motorcycle driver was identified as Jezer Setosta Banzon, 43, of Barangay Quiot, Cebu City, and his lady backrider as Ericka, only known by her alias.
Several individuals went to Labangon Police Station to provide information after the incident was reported in the social media.
According to Police Major Angelito Valleser, chief of Labangon Police Station 10, one of the informants was a collector of motorcycle dealer, where the vehicle was bought on installment.
The collector even gave the police a picture of Banzon's motorcycle.
"Ang kini nga suspect mam na identify ni kay ilado pud ni sa diri mam kay maldito-maldito man kunohay ni. Then ang usa gyud nga naka-ila ani mam kay naa man mi amigo nga collector sa motor og nakaila sa motor nga iyang gigamit ug kanang kuan na-identify pud siya sa collector," according to Valleser.
(The suspect, mam, has been identified due to his reputation here mam for being a tough guy. The motorcycle collector, who is also our friend, was the one who recognized him and the motorcycle he was riding).
Initial information received by the police was that the suspect would introduce himself as an asset of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA 7) and then took the belongings of their target after being searched.
But Valleser said that they still have to verify the said information.
According to Valleser, Ericka was already known to them since she had gone to the police station when her boyfriend was imprisoned there because of illegal drugs.
"Pero ang siguro namo kanang si Ericka ang uyab ana niya drug personality pud nya na detain na diri sa amoang opesina mao nang nakaila ang amoang mga tawo nga si Ericka na mao iyang paila diri nga Ericka ang iyang pangan," Dugang ni Valleser.
(But the one thing we know for sure is that Ericka's boyfriend is a drug personality, who was detained here, which is how my men came to know her, who went by the name Ericka).
For its part, the PDEA 7 will investigate Banzon's claim that he was a PDEA asset.
According to Leia Alcantara, the information officer of PDEA 7, they had not seen the man in their office.
Banzon and Ericka got viral in the social media after they took the personal belongings of a certain Brian Labrador, a resident of Enriquez Compound in Barangay Punta Princesa.
The incident that took place past 11 a.m. last Sunday, July 30, was caught by a CCTV camera in the area and was later uploaded online by Punta Princesa barangay captain Eleno Andales Jr.
According to Labrador, he left the house on Sunday to find a dental clinic to have his damaged tooth extracted.
However, as most dental clinics are closed on Sundays, he was unable to find any and decided to return home.
But when he arrived in his place of residence, the suspects approached him, searched him, took his cellphone and wallet containing P4,900 in cash, and then they departed on a motorcycle.
The police are currently looking for the culprits, who remain at large. (AYB, TPT)