Van heist ‘brains’ pleads guilty to spare girlfriend

Since he loves his long-time girlfriend so much, suspected Ozamis City robbery gang leader Junjun Cabando pleaded guilty in relation to the Sept. 5, 2011 armored van heist at Robinson’s Place in Cebu City.

His plea gives his 32-year-old partner Merly Laguitao a chance to step out of jail before the year ends.

Both of them were charged with robbery with homicide for the P1.2 million daytime heist that resulted in the death of two security guards and three of Cabando’s cohorts.

Cabando and Laguitao appeared before Judge Wilfredo Navarro of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 19 yesterday morning to formalize their plea bargaining agreement—a procedure where the accused pleads guilty to a particular charge in return for some considerations from the court.

Judge Navarro will announce his verdict on Dec. 8. Assistant City Prosecutor Aida Sanchez said Laguitao, who was tagged as an accessory to the crime, is expected to be sentenced to two years to four years and two months of imprisonment.

But since Laguitao has been imprisoned for two years and three months already, Sanchez said the accused may get out of jail.

“The state actually has no opposition to Laguitao’s plea bargain because we believe that she was just an accessory to the crime. What I’m opposing is the plea bargain of Cabando,” the prosecutor told reporters.