Raps filed vs four robbery suspects

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Criminal charges were filed against four suspects in a hold-up incident in Passi City, Iloilo on Monday.

Charged for robbery and violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) were Maneleo Orbeta, 31, of Macapagal Street, Poblacion, Rizal Ilauod, Calinog, Iloilo; Ijie Sortigosa, 20, and Ian Morales, 34, both of Barangay Maasin, Passi City; and Dexter Magbanua, 33, of Barangay Man-it, Passi City.

Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Pamonag, Passi City police chief, said the cases were filed Tuesday before the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors Office.

The four suspects were arrested around 1:30 p.m. Monday at Barangay Sablogon, Passi City, which is around 2 kilometers from Barangay Maasin where the incident happened.

The four were identified as the one who robbed Jobert Paguntalan, 35, an employee of JT International Phils, and resident of Barangay Poblacion West, Oton town; and driver Jerry Villarito, 44, of Barangay Sapa, Dumangas, Iloilo.

Paguntalan identified Orbeta as the one who poked a gun at him and declared the heist.

Sortigosa, on the other hand, allegedly pointed a handgun at Villarito.

The suspects then took Paguntalan’s belt bag containing P40,000 cash and three mobile phones worth 53,000.

The suspects were identified after responding police recovered a sack with clothes and a homemade shotgun at the scene of the robbery.

The suspects apparently changed shirts after committing the robbery.

They initially denied any involvement in the incident but they later owned up to the crime during interrogation.

The Cabatuan Police Station is also set to file a case for robbery against Orbeta and Magbanua.

The two were identified as the persons who robbed a lending company collector at Barangay Tupol Oeste, Cabatuan on August 5.

In the said incident, the suspects robbed around P60,000 cash from the victim.