AUTHORITIES have arrested in separate follow-up operations four policemen, including an officer, for their alleged involvement in the recent P2.1 million heist in Zamboanga City, a top police official said Sunday, November 19, 2023.
Another suspect, a former policeman, surrendered to the police in Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay province.
Police Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office director, identified the arrested policemen as Police Lieutenant Ariel Jolatoria, 43; Police Senior Master Sergeant Alnajer Ynawat, 41; Patrolman Rayan Apostol, 31; and Police Staff Sergeant Edcel Nicolas, 42.
Lorenzo said another suspect, Boby Judan, 44, a former policeman, surrendered around 10:35 p.m. Saturday, November 18, in Poblacion village, Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay.
He said the four policemen were arrested one after the other on Saturday, November 18, in Zamboanga City.
Apostol of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company was arrested around 11:20 a.m. in Pasobolong village.
Jolatoria of the Regional Headquarters Support Unit was arrested around 3 p.m. in Putik village, Zamboanga City, while Ynawat of the City Mobile Patrol Unit in Mercedes village, also in Zamboanga City, around 3:54 p.m.
Nicolas was arrested around 6:20 p.m. in Zambowood village, Zamboanga City.
Lorenzo said the involvement of the policemen in the P2.1 million heist in Tetuan village, Zamboanga City, on November 14, was established through the suspects’ rented getaway car based on the video captured on security camera.
“We were able to establish the identities of the suspects through the getaway car that they rented in one of the local rent-a-car firm,” Lorenzo said.
The local police earlier reported the suspects barged into the residence Al-Ghabid Abdul, 27, a businessman, in Tetuan village, Zamboanga City, on November 14 pretending to be serving a warrant against Abdurajik, the father of the victim.
Instead of serving a warrant, two of them went up to the second floor of Abdul’s house and took P200,000 from a drawer of one of the tables.
They also took two safety vaults one which contained P1.7 million and the other P200,000 and fled aboard a car.
The safety vaults were found the next day in San Roque village and were already destroyed. (Sunstar Zamboanga)