Iloilo Police Task Intel Unit to Probe Robberies

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has ordered its Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) to track down suspects behind a series of robbery incidents in the province.

Colonel Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, said the PIU has created a tracker team to identify and monitor the suspects.

“In the Barotac Viejo holdup case, we have filed charges against one identified suspect and two John Does.

We still need to identify the remaining suspects and monitor the activities of the identified one since they have no warrant of arrest yet,” Razalan said.

From Feb. 10 to 18, the IPPO recorded four robbery incidents.

The first occurred in Pavia, where three gunmen robbed a business in Barangay Balabag, taking PHP300,000.

On Feb. 11, an ambulant vendor was allegedly robbed by two motorcycle-riding men in Sta. Barbara.

The complainant claimed the suspects stole his wallet containing PHP20,000 and a mobile phone.

At around 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 18, an Indian national was robbed in Barangay San Juan, Barotac Viejo, losing PHP4,500.

One of the two suspects was arrested, while the other escaped.

Several hours later, another robbery was reported in Barangay Camiri, San Enrique.

A 42-year-old vendor lost PHP159,000 in cash, a mobile phone, and the certificate of registration for her motorcycle.

However, Razalan said only three of the four robbery incidents have been confirmed.

“The Sta. Barbara case appears to be fabricated.

There is no witness or evidence to support the vendor’s claim,” he said.

Razalan added that the recent robberies do not appear to be connected.

There is also no indication that an organized crime group is behind them.

The IPPO has identified only one robbery group in the province.

However, the Lego-Libuna Group is considered inactive, as several of its members have either been killed or jailed.

“The group has been inactive for four years,” Razalan said.

The IPPO is now waiting for the PNP Directorate for Intelligence to officially declare it dismantled.