A police officer on active duty was arrested for allegedly trying to rob a person in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City at past 2 a.m. on Wednesday.
Police operatives from the Subangdaku Police Station who were on patrol cornered PO1 Argel Fuentes in Hernan Cortes Street and arrested him. They had received an alarm that an armed person was seen in the vicinity.
Senior Insp. Hugo Rio Ipong, Subangdaku Police Station chief, said they have recorded seven robbery-holdup incidents in different parts of their jurisdiction, including some parts of Barangay Talamban, from February to July this year.
Each victim described the suspect as driving a Mio black and yellow motorcycle and wearing a red helmet, said Ipong.
Ipong alerted the Police sa Barangay (PSB) and their community leader to immediately report to them if they see any suspicious person fitting the same description roaming around the area.
At 2 a.m. yesterday morning, Subangdaku Police received a report from a concerned citizen of an armed person, fitting the description, riding black and yellow motorcycle roaming the area.
The police immediately responded and was able to locate him near the Tipolo Barangay Hall. He did not stop but sped away but the mobile patrol police was able to corner him on H. Cortes street.
When he was arrested, Fuentes had no drivers license, nor a Philippine National Police (PNP) identification card.
He was initially arrested for disobedience to person with authority.
It was when he was detained that he admitted being a policeman assigned at the Fuente Police Station.
In a separate interview, Chief Insp. Ma. Theresa Macatangay, Fuente Police Station chief, confirmed that Fuentes is assigned to their station but was currently on leave.
“Badlungon na siya. Daghan na na naay reklamo sa mga barangay niya mao sige ta og badlung usab ana niya. Last Friday nananghid na siya nga mo leave,” said Macatangay.
(He is very hard headed. We received complaints from different barangays about him that is why we keep on reprimanding him. He asked to take a leave last Friday)
Fuentes was positively identified by four robbery victims, among them a cashier of a Shell station in Talamban, Cebu City, Jimmy Boy Etang.
Etang said the incident happened at 5:20am last June 24 this year. Fuentes wore the same red helmet, was on board a black and yellow Mio motorcycle and acted as a customer but later declared a hold-up, pointed a gun at Jimmy, and carted P1,500 representing the night’s sales proceeds and the service cellphone valued at P 7,000.
“Ako nagtubil niya, and ako man sad ang main cashier ato nga time, pagsud nako sa cashier’s booth, nisunod diay sya. Nakuha niya ang halin kay gitiunan man ko (firearm). But sya gyud to, kay wa man cover ang iyang helmet, kita man ko sa iyang nawong,” Etang told reporters.
(I was the one who filled his tank. When I entered the cashier’s booth, he followed me. I could recognize him because his helmet had no cover so I could clearly see his face.)
Sought for comment, Fuentes decline to answer any questions, but his elder brother, Adrian Fuentes said, he can’t believe that his younger brother is into illegal activities.
Police Regional Director (PRO-7) Chief Supt. Debold Sinas ordered Fuentes’ relief and the surrender of his badge and firearm.
“We are now processing his dismissal from service,” said Sinas.