Suspect in Pototan robbery charged

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A case for robbery with threats and intimidation was filed against a 32-year-old man in the broad daylight hold-up in Pototan, Iloilo on July 29, 2021.

Lancer Peña was arrested in a follow-up operation at his house in Sitio Caburihan, Barangay Carmelo, Banate, Iloilo.

Members of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office-Special Operations Group (IPPO-SOG) and Pototan Police Station collared Peña a day after three persons robbed two employees of J&T Express Philippines.

Major Ciriaco Esquilarga, Pototan police chief, said they took into custody three persons of interest, including Peña.

In a police line-up, J&T Express employee Mila Mhar Gente positively pointed to Peña as the person who poked a gun at her and took her bag containing P1.7 million cash.

No cash, weapon, or firearm was seized from Peña’s possession.

Esquilarga said that even before they could file a case against Peña, his family intimated that they are ready to post bail for his release.

A follow-up operation was conducted in Capiz province to arrest another suspect but to no avail.

Esquilarga said they will file the cases against the two remaining suspects via regular procedure instead of inquest proceeding.

Meanwhile, Peña denied any hand in the Pototan robbery incident.

He said that he might have been a convenient suspect as he was imprisoned for a robbery case a decade ago.

Peña was detained at the Iloilo Provincial Jail in Nanga, Pototan in 2010 for robbery with frustrated homicide. He was released in 2018 following an amicable settlement.

It can be noted that Gente, 23, a resident of Barangay Manaulan, Badiangan, Iloilo and works as J&T Express-Pototan’s finance and admin officer, was about to deposit the cash money at a PNB branch in Guanco St., Pototan, when the robbery happened.

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

As they 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 in 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 came 19 days after two robbers also sweep clean a branch of Western Union money transfer service with around P1.5 million cash during a broad daylight robbery at Calinog, Iloilo.

Gorero also told his 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.