9 ‘thieves’ finally nabbed
Nine members of a “Laglag susi/Barya/Salisi gang” finally fell into the hands of the police after they victimized several persons in the past four months here in Metro Cebu.
Eight of the suspects, whom the police said belong to a syndicate, were caught during a follow-up operation at 10 a.m. yesterday morning in Barangay Lamac, Consolacion town after one of their cohorts was arrested last Monday afternoon.
The first suspect was collared after he tried to victimize Hiroshi Hirasawa, 26, a Japanese national who happened to be a martial arts Jujitsu instructor, inside a mall in barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City.
The nine suspects were identified as Edna Garcia,49, a native of Bacoor, Cavite and the alleged leader of the group; Simplicio Conde, 45, of Aroroy, Masbate; Jamboy Tagon, 30, of Villagonzalo II, Cebu City; Mary Ann Abrazaldo, 39, of Baybay, Leyte; Arnold Losarito,45, of Davao City; Jomar Balwa, 25, of Barangay 22, Davao City; Junar Alodria, 31, of Barangay 33-T, Davao City; Jody Blasong, 37, of Boulevard, Davao City; and Rosalie Gerodias of Purok 3, Annex, Ozamiz City.
Police Regional Office-7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas said the arrest of the nine suspects, who also victimized the wife of the former Cebu City councilor Jose Daluz III last week, should serve as a warning to all lawless elements planning to operate in Cebu.
“This will serve as a deterrent to those who intend to continue or project to operate in Cebu. Sooner or later, the long arm of the law will get you,” he said.
Bañas, though, said the arrest of the suspects means at least one robbery group have been neutralized.
Bañas commended his men for the accomplishment and thanked the community, which he said played a great role in the success of the operation.
Last week, Bañas ordered his men to arrest the Laglag Barya Gang members following a series of theft incidents, whose victims included Sheila Mae Daluz, prior to the start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Cebu.
Bañas said they are aiming to have zero crime during the APEC meetings especially that delegates from other countries will be here.
“Kung mabiktima sila ng kahit mga street crimes dito sa Cebu, pagbalik nila sa kanilang bansa, negative yung magiging feedback nila sa lugar natin,” he said.
The police said Hirasawa was inside a coffee shop in J Center Mall around 2 p.m. last Monday when Conde and Balwa approached and asked if he has a car. Hirasawa said no.
Since there was a call in his phone and it was noisy inside the coffee shop, Hirasawa went out to answer the call. While he was entertaining the call, a woman, whom was later identified as Blasong, then approached him and told him that “something bad” happened to his car.
Hirasawa again answered that he does not have a car and went back to the coffee shop. The distraction Blasong did was enough for the suspects as Hirasawa discoverred that his bag, which contained his laptop, was no longer there.
Hirasawa then started looking for his bag and saw Tagon with his bag outside the coffee shop. He immediately went after Tagon, grabbed his bag, and subdued the suspect, whom he turned over to the mall’s security guard.
“Wa kaila, wa kahibalo siya diay ang biktima, ni-pass by sa iyang atubangan. Na-identify niya (Hirasawa) iyang bag gigakos niya,” said Mandaue City Police Office Director Mariano Natu-el.
A follow-up operation was then conducted yesterday morning after it was learned from informants that Tagon, prior to his arrest, was seen together with the other suspects inside the mall.
Since the police were able to recall that Conde has a pending warrant of arrest for a theft case, they rushed to the suspects’ hideout in Lamac after getting a tip on its location.
Upon arrival in barangay Lamac, they immediately saw Conde by the corner of a road so they serve him the warrant. Since Conde refused to cooperate, the police asked those around if they knew where he was living and they were led to the house Garcia was renting.
The police were also able to recover some items the suspects allegedly stole.
MCPO-Investigation and Detective Management Branch Chief Michael Bastes said they have learned that Garcia has been renting the said house for P3,000 a month in the last four months.
“Si Edna four months na siya sa Consolacion nag-abang didto, then iyang gipang-recruit ning-uban; unya kining uban one month pa silang na recruit,” Bastes said.
Garcia allegedly recruited the other suspects, who were former members of a salisi gang operating in Metro Cebu, and introduced to them the “laglag susi-barya” modus operandi.
Garcia admitted this to reporters when presented to the media yesterday.
Upon learning of the suspects’ arrest, Shiela rushed to MCPO and was able to identify the suspects as the one who preyed on her.
She said she lost her business earning amount to P120,000 when victimized by the suspects in Legaspi Street, Cebu City. Except for the money, her bag and her personal belongings were left by the suspects inside a fast-food outlet.
Another victim, Ma. Antoniette Ocampo, also pointed at the suspects as the ones who victimized her at an appliance center parking lot in Mandaue City two months ago. She lost P18,000 cash and a watch after the suspects knocked hard on her car and told her that some of her keys had fallen.
Aside from Daluz and Ocampo, Manilyn Mar, executive manager of an English school in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City, lost more than half a million in cash and personal belongings when she was also victimized through a similar modus operandi three weeks ago at the parking lot of Rose Pharmacy in Bakilid.
Bastes said Mar failed to show up yesterday as she is currently in Cambodia. Last week, a certain Jesus Tomosok of barangay Tayud, Liloan town also fell victim to the same modus operandi; luckily, only his bag which contained a bank checkbook was stolen from him.
All nine suspects are currently detained at the Subangdaku Police Station pending the filing of theft charges against them.