Robbery in band raps
lodged vs. 5 teenagers

The Bacolod police filed robbery in the band charges Tuesday before the City Prosecutor's Office against the five teenagers suspected of waylaying and holding up two employees of the Pavilion Hotel and Restaurant at the Bacolod reclamation area Friday last week.

Case investigator PO2 Celito Dullan of Police Precinct 1 yesterday said, he has filed robbery (hold-up)-in-band charges against the five boys, whose age are from 16 to 17 years and whose names are being withheld by the DAILY STAR.

Two of the boys were apprehended by the Bacolod police in a hot-pursuit operation Friday, while two were surrendered by their parents to the police station the following day, Dullan said.

Mar Ortega, 34, of Barra Street, Silay City a front desk cashier, and Milagros Esparagoza, 39, of Brgy. Matab-ang, Talisay City in Negros Occidental said they were walking in the area when the suspects held them up, police reports said.

Ortega said one of the boys grabbed her bag that contained P9,000 and important documents. The suspects also took Esparagoza's bag that contained P1,500 in cash and a Nokia 8210 cellphone, she added.

The four boys are still detained in the lock-up cell of Police Precinct 1 while the police manhunt is still on for their companion, Dullan said.*DMG

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Gang leader
surrenders stolen cellphones

A leader of the Taytay Lubi Gang, a group of cellphone snatchers and pickpockets, who had earlier surrendered an unlicensed gun, also endorsed 11 stolen cellphones yesterday to the police in Valladolid, in Negros Occidental.

Valladolid police chief Rico Santotome said the surrender of stolen cellphones by the group of Benedicto Uy, alias Intsik, was in support of their campaign against lawlessness in the town.

Uy also surrendered a .38 caliber revolver to the Valladolid Police Station last month.

Meanwhile, SPO2 Nilo Cabatuan also arrested a certain Renato Padere, a member of the so-called "Citizen's Police", at CL Ledesma Avenue in San Carlos City, for allegedly firing his unlicensed gun indiscriminately after midnight Wednesday.

Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, San Carlos police chief, said Pedere, who was also disarmed of his revolver with four ammunition and one spent shell, was also found by the police to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

Also recovered from Pedere's possession, aside from the unlicensed gun, was an identification card of the Centennial Police Force Foundation, De la Paz said.

Meanwhile, three of the 11 stolen cellphones surrendered by Uy to the Valladolid police were claimed yesterday by their owners, identified as Alma Machan, Pomposa Tolosa and Ruby Ann Peralta, Santotome said.

Police records show that the Valladolid Police Station has maintained its lead over 31 city and municipal police stations in Negros Occidental, in the recovery of loose firearms for January and February.*GPB

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Barker
nabbed for drugs

A jeepney barker was arrested by the Bacolod police for alleged possession of 12 suspected marijuana sticks in Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City at about 8 a.m. yesterday.

Arnel Valentina, 38, of Alimodian, Iloilo City and temporarily staying at Purok Kahirup, Brgy. Mandalagan, was arrested by the City Director's Squad operatives for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, police reports said.

Valentina, meanwhile, denied the accusation, claiming that the marijuana sticks had been "planted" on him. He said he was inviting passengers to ride on jeepneys when several persons who identified themselves as police officers, approached and arrested him for drug possession. He said he has never been involved in selling illegal drugs.

Valentina is now detained in the lock-up cell of the Bacolod police office.*DMG

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