The three men accused of robbing a couple at gunpoint in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City on Monday, December 4, will be spending some time in jail after they were nabbed by police during a follow-up operation early on Tuesday morning. | CDN Digital photo / Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Because of his addiction to online gambling, a 31-year-old man along with two others, allegedly robbed his acquaintances from General Santos City.
Less than 24 hours since the robbery took place in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, police arrested the three suspects on Tuesday morning, December 5.
One of the alleged suspects, who at first claimed to be among the victims, was held by the police for questioning shortly after the robbery happened at past 5 p.m. on Monday.
The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Jay Ar Miraflor Palermo, a buy and sell agent and a resident of Lapu-Lapu City.
Meanwhile, the two other suspects were arrested in a hot-pursuit operation in Sitio San Roque, Barangay Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City at around 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
Personnel from the Talamban Police Station and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) nabbed Jerry Arong Apa, 28, a former security guard; and Leopoldo Montelebano Jamolin, 37, a former seaman.
Binaliw robbery
The alleged robbery transpired at around 5:15 p.m. on Monday, December 4, in the mountain barangay of Binaliw in Cebu City.
Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, the CCPO Director, told reporters that after the robbery was reported, they immediately conducted an investigation on the incident.
Dalogdog narrated that the two victims, a couple from General Santos City, came to Cebu to collect a vehicle that they bought online.
The couple allegedly contacted their trusted acquaintance, Palermo, to help them with the transaction.
According to Dalogdog, the couple has various business investments in their hometown. They allegedly gave Palermo a downpayment of P70,000 for the vehicle purchase.
Palermo met the couple when they arrived in Cebu on Monday afternoon.
Dalogdog said Palermo used his service vehicle to bring the couple to their supposed destination to already get the vehicle that they purchased.
But when they reached Barangay Binalw, two men, who were onboard a motorcycle, allegedly blocked their way.
The riding-in-tandem then opened the doors of the service vehicle and pointed their firearms at the couple and the vehicle driver, Palermo.
The suspects allegedly grabbed the one of their bags that contained assorted jewelry, cash worth P400,000, and a mobile phone, before they told them to disembark and walk away from their vehicle.
The stolen valuables totaled to P787,500, according to police.
Follow-up investigation
During the follow-up investigation, police interviewed the couple and Palermo who were left at the crime scene.
According to Dalogdog, Palermo eventually confessed to his involvement in the robbery. He also gave the names of his accomplices.
With the information provided by Palermo, Cebu City police conducted a hot pursuit operation and arrested the two men at their respective residences in Lapu-Lapu City. Both were unable to resist their arrest.
The three alleged suspects were later on brought to the CCPO were they were presented to the media and the victims on Tuesday morning.
During their investigation, Dalogdog said they learned that Apa was detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail in 2013 for a murder case. He was released in 2021.
Jamolin, on the other hand, was involved in a drug case but was released on bail.
Palermo as mastermind
After they were taken into police custody, Apa and Jamolin confessed to taking part in the robbery which was allegedly planned by Palermo.
Police investigation showed that Palermo planned the robbery because of his need for cash since he was allegedly hooked to online gambling.
Police recovered assorted jewelry and P170,000 cash from the alleged suspects of a robbery that happened in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City on Monday, December 4, 2023. | CDN Digital photo / Emmariel Ares
Police recovered from the suspects’ possession the gold necklace, rings, and cash amounting to P170,000, what was left of the P400, 000 cash which the suspects allegedly carted away.
They also seized a .380 caliber pistol with magazine and 5 ammunitions, and a motorcycle.
Apa told the police that he already spent at least P230,000 of the cash that they took from the couple on liquor and women.
As to the stolen phone, the suspects said that they threw it into the sea because of fear that they would be tracked using the phone’s global positioning system (GPS).
Robbery charges
Dalogdog said they are now preparing the necessary documents for the filing of robbery charges at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office against the three suspects, who are currently detained at CCPO’s custodial facility.
Moreover, Dalogdog commended his men for the immediate arrest of the suspects.
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