TWO police members of the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) check valuables recovered from armed men who robbed businessman Victoriano Pagador in his house in Gemsville Subdivision, barangay Lahug, Cebu City.(CDN/TONEE DESPOJO)
A BUSINESSMAN and his family were held at gunpoint by ex-convicts who invaded his home at 3:30 a.m. yesterday in Gemsville Subdivision in Lahug, Cebu City.
The five robbers left with cash and valuables on board the family’s Toyota Hi-Lux van, but were later arrested by police before they could exit the village gate.
Police later recovered more than P260,000 cash and about P800,000 worth of jewelry, cellphones and other gadgets as well as the van.
Businessman Victoriano Pagador said the armed men entered his house when his helpers arrived at dawn from Carbon Market.
The robbers first hogtied two housemaids.
Then they tied up Pagador, his wife, his granddaughter and her three classmates who had stayed for the night for group study.
Pagador said he pleaded with the robbers not to harm them. He told the intruders to take whatever they wanted.
One maid was able to free herself and run to the bunkhouse where the family driver was sleeping.
Alerted about the robbery, the driver sought the help of village guards who were able to stop the robbers at the gate.
A delivery truck of a construction firm also helped in blocking the exit. Guards then called the police. Shots were fired but not one was injured.
The units that responded were the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat), Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) and the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) of Cebu City Police Office.
The arrested suspects were identified as Allan Gumabo, 32, of Cabreros St., Cebu City; Roperto Pulgo Corneja, 30 of Muntinlupa; Junel Legarda, 39; Geronimo Moreno, 46; and Jorex Fajardo, 38, all from Ilo-ilo.
Seized from the suspects were several firearms including an Ingram submachine gun with 17 ammunition, a caliber .45 pistol and two .38 caliber revolver.
The stolen items were found inside Pagador’s Hi-Lux.
CIB chief Supt. Romeo Santander said Corneja, Legarda, Moreno and Fajardo were ex-convicts with records for robbery, homicide and murder.
During police interrogation, the suspects admitted that they arrived in Cebu on Sunday and cased the Pagador residence on Monday.
One of the suspects went to the village to conduct their own surveillance.
They will be facing robbery in band charges./ WITH UP Cebu Intern Julienne Hazel E. Penserga