Suspect in P1.7M Pototan heist arrested

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A man who had alleged involvement in robbery incidents might hold the key to solving the P1.7-million broad daylight hold-up in Pototan, Iloilo the other day.

Major Ciriaco Esquilarga, Pototan police chief, opted not to elaborate on the identity of the “person of interest,” who might be one of the three persons who staged the heist on the personnel of delivery service company J&T Express Philippines.

“He’s the subject of our hot pursuit operation,” Esquilarga said.

Esquilarga said they have witnesses who gave leads to the person.

The two other suspects have yet to be identified.

Esquilarga said the two J&T Express employees – Mila Mhar Gente and Edgardo Abido – have given their statement to investigators. However, they have yet to provide their affidavit.

A case conference presided by Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo police chief, was held Thursday evening.

According to reports, Gente, 23, a resident of Barangay Manaulan, Badiangan, Iloilo and works as the J&T Express – Pototan finance and admin officer, was about to deposit the money at the PNB branch in Guanco St., Pototan, when the incident happened.

Abido, 29, of Lopez Jaena St., Pototan and employed as a sorter of J&T Express, drove Gente in going to the bank.

Police are checking information that Abido temporarily drove for the company in lieu of a full-time company driver.

As Gente and Abido were navigating an intersection along Sterling Homes Subdivision at Rumbang village, three men on board a black Bajaj motorcycle waylaid them.

One of the suspects allegedly snatched Gente’s bag that contained the P1.7 million cash before they sped off to Barotac Nuevo town.

Following the incident, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) directed all unit commanders and chiefs of police to start conducting dialogues with financial institutions in the province.

The J&T robbery happened 19 days after two robbers also swept clean a branch of Western Union money transfer service of around P1.5 million cash during a broad daylight robbery at Calinog, Iloilo.

Gorero told subordinate commanders to conduct inventory and check security alarm systems of financial institutions.

They were also tasked to conduct dialogue with financial firms and discuss the modus of the suspect/s and possible coordination when transacting money involving big amount of money.