Robbery in band charge filed vs 3 suspected robbers

Cebu City police have filed charges against three of the nine individuals who allegedly perpetrated two pawnshop robberies in downtown Cebu City last August 8.| CDN Photo/ Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police have filed robbery in band charges against three of the nine men who are believed to be responsible for the two pawnshop robberies in downtown Cebu City last August 8.

Those charged were Marcial Ponesto, Van Lincoln Gabriel Estrada, and Police Master Sergeant Clyford de Guzman Aragona. 

According to the Revised Penal Code, a charge for robbery in band is filed “when four or more malefactors take part in the robbery.”

Ponesto was already arrested by the police while Estrada and Aragona have remained at large.

Police Colonel Antonietto Cañete, the acting director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), led the filing of the complaint against the accused on Wednesday, August 21, at the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

READ: 2 pawnshops in downtown Cebu City robbed in broad daylight

Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, a lawyer by profession, also joined law enforcers to personally oversee the process.

In an interview, Garcia said he was happy with outcome of the police investigation on the pawnshop robberies.

“I commend them (the police) for a job well done. The swift investigation and its filing is really highly commendable. And it will send out gyud a message sa atong mga criminal elements in Cebu nga do not mess with the city of Cebu because here, we are very serious when it comes to fighting criminality,” Garcia said.

SUV driver

Ponesto, 31, was arrested in Brgy. Paknaan, Mandaue City on August 13. Authorities also recovered the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that the robbers used to escape after they carted over P15 million worth of jewelry.

READ: Police nab one suspect behind Cebu City pawnshop robberies

Meanwhile, Estrada was identified as the one who was tasked to safeguard the firearms that were allegedly used by the robbers.

As of this writing, police continue to determine if Estrada also played other roles in the pawnshop robberies.

On the other hand, Aragona was identified as the owner of the SUV. He is a police officer assigned at the National Capital Region (NCR) and is a friend of Ponesto.

READ: Possible getaway vehicle used in Cebu pawnshop robberies found

In addition to the robbery in band charge, CCPO will also be pursuing administrative complaints against Aragona soon.

Lookout

Cañete said that a robbery charge will also be filed soon against the fourth suspect, habal-habal driver Michael Obaob Puno, who acted as one of the lookouts.

READ: Police nab ‘lookout’ in Cebu City pawnshop robberies

Puno, 42, was arrested in in Brgy. Apas last August 16 for the possession of suspected shabu and an unlicensed .38 caliber revolver.

Cañete said they had to delay the filing of a complaint against Puno as they wait for the official report of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU) that examined the CCTV footages to formally identify him as one of the lookouts.

The police chief said that Ponesto and Puno have refused to executive an extrajudicial confession despite their arrest.

Parojinog robbery group

According to the police, the recent pawnshop robberies were perpetrated by four men who are remnants of the Mindanao-based Parojinog robbery group. 

When they came to Cebu, they allegedly contacted five locals to help them execute their plan.

Cañete said that they continue to look for the other suspects as they also wait for the issuance of a warrant for their arrest.