Two suspected robbers arrested in Talisay City
Two alleged members of the Caparida robbery group were arrested by the Talisay City police in Barangay Biasong Thursday afternoon.
Authorities identified the suspects as Christopher Deiparine, 26, and Joel Tornate, alyas Jojo, 31, both residents of Linao, Talisay City.
Deiparine and Tornate were arrested after they allegedly robbed delivery agent Romnick Espataleon, 27, of Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City.
Espataleon reportedly lost his P4,000 collection and his P400 personal cash to the suspects who robbed him along P. Del Rosario Street in Cebu City.
Superintendent Germano Mallari, chief of Talisay Police Station, said an off-duty cop, Police Officer 2 Dennis Ricafort, called up the station asking for backup after seeing two armed men at a store.
Inspector Windell Abellana, Police Officer 3 Edwin Campomanes, Police Officer 3 Ferdinand Pablo and Senior Police Officer 1 Sebellita immediately responded and cornered the suspects who did not resist arrest.
Seized from Deiparine were a .45 caliber with seven bullets, a hand grenade and two medium packs and five sachets of suspected shabu. Tornate yielded a .38 revolver with six live ammunition, and two medium packs and 10 sachets of suspected shabu.
The confiscated drugs amounted to P247,800.
Mallari said the Caparida group was responsible for a series of robbery in which its usual victims are agents of softdrink companies.
In fact, a victim appeared at Talisay City Police Station and identified the two as the ones who robbed him along Urgelio Street in Cebu City an hour before the suspects were arrested.
Mallari said they believe that the suspects were about to rob the store before they were arrested.
“Posible to nga mutulis ang duha sa tindahan or kato bang ahente ang ilang giatangan,” said Mallari.
CEBU CITY ROBBERY
Espataleon alleged that he and his driver were delivering soft drinks and, at the same time, collecting payment from the customers when the robbery happened.
It was at a bakeshop along P. Del Rosario Street where they were delivering their products when Tornate, pretending to be a customer, pulled out a .45 caliber pistol and pointed it to Espataleon’s forehead before declaring a holdup.
Chief Inspector David Señor, acting chief of the Fuente Police Station, said they received the alarm at around 3 p.m. last Thursday and made a follow-up operation until evening.
Señor said yesterday dawn, the victim received a call from Talisay City police informing him that his wallet was found from the possession of the suspects.
Señor said they then went to Talisay City Police Station where the victim positively identified Tornate and Deiparine as the ones who robbed him.
They then arrested the suspects for robbery and brought them to Fuente Police Station. However, they were not able to recover the money, only Espataleon’s wallet.
Mallari said the group is not just into robbery but would also involve in illegal drugs and gun for hire.
The group’s leader Jeffry Caparida is now detained after he was arrested in a shootout with authorities.
Mallari urged the victims to file charges against the suspects.
“Dili gihapon ta angay nga magkumpiyansa kay kining mga kriminal susama ra ni sa kinabuhi sa tawo nga kung adunay mamatay naa pud ang matawo, kun naay nadakpan ug nabalhug aduna say bag-ong kat-un sa dautang binuhatan,” Mallari added.
THE GROUP’S OPERATIONS
Señor said the group of Deiparine and Tornate mostly targets money collectors in the city and the province.
In fact, he said policemen from Toledo Police Station came to Fuente Police Station yesterday and coordinated with them since the suspects were also identified as the ones who robbed several collectors in Balamban town.
The suspects admitted the crime but denied the allegation that they are members of a robbery group.
They said they were only forced to do the crime because of poverty and since it was the annual fiesta of Talisay City last Thursday.
“Naagni ra ko kay pista sa Talisay. Para pista unta sa Talisay,” said Tarnate.
The suspects claimed that it was their first time to engage in robbery.