Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas / CDND File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Five days have passed since still unidentified men robbed and burned the Kapa Community Ministry International, Inc. office located in Barangay Poblacion, Compostela town.
To date, no one from among the ministry representatives have come forward to identify and claim that vault which the police recovered from their burnt office, said Police Brigadier Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
Sinas said that Kapa branch manager Christopher Abad, who has a pending warrant for the violation of the Securities Regulation Code, has also remained in hiding.
The PRO-7 director urged Abad to surrender with the assurance of his full protection in exchange for the cooperation that he will give to the police.
If he surrenders, Sinas said that he will personally do the interview on Abad.
Abad and Kapa founder, Pastor Joel Apolinario, went into hiding after the Regional Trial Court in Manila ordered a search their Compostela office on Monday and the confiscation of ledgers, journals and other important documents. The search happened two days after still unidentified man reportedly robbed and reportedly burned two of the three office buildings located inside the Kapa compound in Compostela town.
Read More: KAPA robbery in Compostela: 10 armed men also take 21 workers’ belongings
Initial police investigation showed that 10 armed allegedly men barged into the Kapa office in Barangay Poblacion at dawn on June 8, 2019, took cash and other valuables and burned their office before they left. The suspects also reportedly robbed around 21 stay-in office employees.
Sinas suspects that the robbery and arson were an inside job.
Read More: Sinas: Robbery, arson of KAPA Compostela office an inside job
But investigation on the alleged robbery and arson incidents continue.
Police are yet to determine how much cash was actually taken by the alleged robbers.
Sinas said that they also continue to wait for Kapa officials or representatives to come forward to claim ownership of the vault that Compostela police recovered from the crime scene.
Unless someone comes forward, Sinas said that the police on its own will not be able open said fault because they lack the authority to do so.
Should someone try to claim the vault, said claimant will be required to present proof of identity and ownership.
“Dili man pwede nga mo claim lang sila nga naa silay combination. Kailangan nila i-establish ilang identity lalo na nga ang usa sa gitan-aw namo is ang inside job,” said Sinas.
(Claimants cannot just come forward and say that he/she has the vault’s combination. We have to establish the claimant’s identity especially with our suspicions that the robbery and burning of the Kapa office were an inside job.)/dcb