By: Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Robbery charges were filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office last Tuesday against three of the 10 armed robbers who allegedly seized the issued firearms of two security guards who were on duty when a jewelry heist happened inside Gaisano City Grand Mall here last August 7.
Police Major Charles Gever, head of Police Station 8, said the charges were filed by Gold Claw, and Combative security agencies against Marlon Parojinog, Philip Bonn Rabanes, and Kenneth Bonon, all residents of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.
The robbers allegedly disarmed the mall’s guard and another guard of a fast food chain inside the mall, Gever said.
Armed with long firearms, hammers, and axes, the suspects robbed two jewelry stores inside the shopping mall, taking away P4.5 million worth of jewelry last week.
They also seized the shotgun and .38-caliber revolver of the two guards.
Meanwhile, Police Colonel Henry Biñas, director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said the three suspects were identified through the mall’s closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footages and the statements of witnesses.
Biñas said Parojinog is the alleged leader of the group “Martilyo Gang.” Seven other members of the group remain unidentified.
Biñas said they also have yet to check the identities of four local gang members that were tagged as the Martilyo Gang’s contacts here, based on the information from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo).
“Our investigation is still ongoing, and we released some photos to the public for them to be aware about their identities,” he added.
He also lauded the operating units for their accomplishments as this bespeaks of the commitment of the Bacolod police for the crime-free city.
On the other hand, Gever said another charges will be filed against the suspects for the jewelry heist.
“If the employees of the two jewelry stores will be given authority to file charges, we will file additional robbery charges against the suspects,” he added.
