RESTO HEIST
One of 13 security guards
to undergo lie detector test

One of the 13 security guards on duty when the robbery at Max's Restaurant at Robinson's Place in Bacolod City took place last week, had been inconsistent in his testimonies and will undergo a lie detector test on Thursday.

Senior Insp. Joeresty Coronica, Precinct 3 commander, yesterday said the guards and eight restaurant employees underwent thorough tactical interrogation at Precinct 3 on Saturday.

Coronica said their investigation showed that one of the guards, whose identity is being withheld by the police, was found to be lying, strengthening their suspicion of his involvement in the theft.

He said the guard-suspect could not justify his whereabouts at the time of the incident and his allegations contradicted the statements of his fellow guards.

He said they brushed aside the involvement of restaurant employees in the crime, but are still focusing their investigation on the "inside job" angle.

He said the polygraph machine he had requested from the National Bureau of Investigation office arrived yesterday so they expect to conduct the test on the suspect Thursday.

On Tuesday last week, unidentified persons broke into the Max's Restaurant and took its cash box containing P31,000 in cash and bank checks worth P30,000, police reports said.

In January, unidentified persons also broke into the Pizza Hut, a food chain beside the Max's Restaurant, and destroyed its vault containing the employees' collection, police reports also said.*DMG

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Crime stoppers
secure MassKara sites

The Bacolod Crime Stoppers Association will assist the city police in maintaining peace and order during the 27th MassKara Festival, a City Hall press release said yesterday.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia was assured by the association through Brgy. Taculing Kagawad and group president Ricardo Abangan that, the BCSA will help the Bacolod City Police Office in monitoring the festival sites at the public plaza, and the MassKara Village at the reclamation area every night.

One Crime Stopper volunteer is assigned to every police precinct in the city.

Meanwhile, Leonardia inducted recently the new BCSA officers at the BCPO compound. They are: Ricardo Abangan - president, Orlando Valero - vice president, Adelisa Adana - secretary, Winfred Palenge - treasurer, William Montaño - auditor; board of directors Maximo Magno, Jr., Rodolfo Japitana, Ernesto Lamasa, Armando Villamin, Butch Navarro, Remy Bicatulo, Jose Lucero, Jim Ortega, Bernard Blanco, and Rodney Gabrido; advisers Antonio Milabo, Jessie Pisueña; and moderator Jesus Quiatchon, the press release added.*

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PDEA seize shabu,
paraphernalia in raid

Several drug paraphernalia and a sachet of suspected shabu were recovered from the house of a resident of Purok Kingfisher, Brgy. 16, Bacolod City at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

Armed with a search warrant issued by Judge Napoleon Diamante of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Branch 3, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency led by Senior Insp. Joemarie Occeño swooped down on the house of Francisco de la Cruz, alias "Ikot", in the barangay, police reports said.

De la Cruz, however, managed to escape and remains at-large.

PDEA operatives recovered a small sachet of suspected shabu, a tooter with traces of the banned substance, six disposable lighters, two pairs of scissors, three bamboo clips, bundles of plastic sachets, a jungle knife and .22 caliber revolver, police reports said.

Occeño invited for questioning De la Cruz's live-in partner Julie Caballero Sedoriosa and Allan Belleza Suelto, 26, of Purok Rosal, Brgy. Taculing who both happened to be in the house during the raid.

The raid was witnessed by Brgy. 16 Kagawad Ermilo Alintano and Purok president Susan Mangao, police reports also said.*DMG

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