Two nabbed in La Castellana robbery

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two of the six persons who robbed and shot two women on board a sports utility vehicle (SUV) at Sitio Lapak, Barangay Robles, La Castellana, Negros Occidental last Tuesday were arrested at Hacienda Isabel, Barangay Sag-ang several hours after the incident.

Police Staff Sergeant Andronico Tribaco, investigator of La Castellana Municipal Police Station, identified the suspects as Rene Boy Abrico, 45; and Augusto Tubongbanua Jr., 39, both residents of Murcia town.

Tribaco said the two suspects were arrested in a pursuit operation after police received information about their whereabouts. “Sighted sila sang mga tawo pag guwa nila sa gin panagu-an nila kay pangayaw man sila sa lugar,” he added.

Abrico and Tubongbanua were part of the group behind the robbery and shooting incidents that wounded Shaem Job Galimba, 34, a rescuer, and her mother Chona, 60, a retired teacher.

The victims were passing by Barangay Robles on board an SUV driven by Galimba when the perpetrators declared a hold-up and shot them.

The perpetrators carted away P24,000, two cellular phones, and assorted jewelry amounting to P50,000, according to Tribaco.

Tribaco said the two suspects were positively identified by the victims, who are still confined in a hospital here.

The victims’ three companions, including Galimba’s mother-in-law and five-month-old baby girl, were unharmed during the incident.

Police recovered from the duo P2,500 cash each which was believed to be part of their loot.

Tribaco said that Tubongbanua also pointed to the police a bag containing a KG9 firearm, two .45 caliber pistols, and the victims’ cash amounting to P9,000; and a cellular phone, which was hidden at a sugarcane field in Barangay Sag-ang.

Tribaco said the three firearms were subjected to ballistic and cross-matching examination.

He said that robbery with physical injuries charges will be filed against the two suspects, while investigation is ongoing to identify the four other suspects.