Brothers in Epogon rob group nabbed

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two suspected members of Epogon robbery group operating in Negros Occidental were arrested at Barangay 3, Sipalay City on Monday.

Arrested were Epogon siblings Francisco, 29, of Barangay San Jose; and Ruel, 25, of Barangay Handumanan here.

Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said the arrest happened after authorities learned that the Epogon brothers were onboard a blue Toyota Vios to attend the burial of their cousin at the Sipalay public cemetery.

Sipalay City Police Station led by its deputy chief, Police Lieutenant Anthony Saing, together with the members of the 604th Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-6, conducted a checkpoint and flagged down the vehicle.

Upon verifying the identities of the passengers, the siblings were served with an arrest warrant for theft issued by Judge Rosario Ester Orda Caise of Kabankalan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 61.

Another warrant for violation of Republic Act 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act issued by Judge Oscar Leo Billena of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo City RTC Branch 66 was also served to Ruel.

During the search, authorities recovered from Francisco a .45-caliber pistol with two magazines and 20 live ammunitions, five live caliber .22 ammunitions, and a magazine of M16 Armalite rifle.

Also seized by police from Ruel was a .38-caliber revolver with five live ammunitions.

Baleros believed that the group was behind the robberies of the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. (Noneco) and a liquor bottling company in Manapla in February 2019.

Both suspects are detained at the police station.

Meanwhile, Baleros commended the accomplishment of the operatives for the arrest of the two members of the notorious robbery group in the province.

Last year, four suspected members of the same group were arrested here and in Cauayan town for the series of robbery and hold-up incidents in some parts of the province.