Two men, including a former police applicant, were arrested after police caught them allegedly possessing a firearm and stolen items in barangay Lahug, Cebu City yesterday morning.
Police said some robbery victims showed up at the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and claimed ownership of some of the items recovered from Juriel Lachica, 18, and Yasser Dinilogun, 28, both residents of Lahug.
Supt. Romeo Santander, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of CCPO, said police were alerted when two suspicious men onboard a motorcycle were spotted near a mall in Lahug past 1 a.m. yesterday.
Operatives of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) and Mobile Patrol Group (MPG) acted on the report that led to the arrest of the two men.
Seized from the two men were laptops, expensive bags and other gadgets worth almost P200,000.
A .45 caliber pistol was recovered from Lachica’s possession.
Police said the two men were allegedly involved in several robberies in northern areas of Cebu City.
Supt. Alit Vertucio, deputy chief for administration of CCPO, Lachica had been arrested thrice for theft and illegal possession of firearms.
Lachica was released from jail early this year, said Vertucio.
Dinilogun, a former police applicant, denied being a robber. He said it was the first time that Lachica hired him to transport the loot.
Virtucio asked robbery victims to come forward for the possible identification of the two men.