MANILA, Philippines – A former soldier was among those charged by the police yesterday for the murder of 10 people in one of the deadliest bank robberies in history.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) considered the case “solved” after murder charges were filed against former Army soldier Ricardo Gomolon, who was identified by a nine-year-old witness as among the group of men who entered the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch in Cabuyao, Laguna, and murdered eight of its employees, a security guard and a client’s representative on May 16.
Charges were also filed against Jesus Narvaez, who allegedly drove the getaway car, and bank security guard Joel dela Cruz.
PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said a manhunt was launched for the two remaining suspects, identified as Allan Bago and Danilo Letoquit.
A female and several other “John Does” are also being hunted by the police for the robbery.
“As far as our investigators are concerned, the RCBC case is now solved with the identification of the suspects and the filing of the case before the prosecutor,” Bartolome said.
“However, we have yet to account for more suspects as we go on with the investigation.”
Provincial State Prosecutor Frisco Marfil recommended no bail for the three suspects, charged with robbery with multiple homicide.
Bartolome said Task Force RCBC investigators have established the participation of the suspects in the RCBC robbery based on the testimonies of several witnesses.
Dela Cruz, Bago and Gomolon were among the suspects who were seen inside the bank during the robbery.
Gomolon and Dela Cruz were tagged as the “men in uniform” by the police in the robbery. Gomolon was arrested in Bicutan while Dela Cruz has been in police custody since a day after the robbery.
Bartolome said Dela Cruz was the security guard on duty but he went on leave without any replacement. Investigators also noted several inconsistencies in his statement.
Several witnesses, on the other hand, saw Narvaez and Letoquit, near the getaway vehicle that was later recovered by the police.
Bartolome said at least three key witnesses provided investigators with the vital pieces of the puzzle, which when joined together, revealed how the bloody murders took place.
He said results of forensic examination are expected to bolster earlier findings to further strengthen the case against the suspects.
On the other hand, the three suspects have denied involvement in the robbery.
Gomolon said he was at home in Bicutan when the bank robbery occurred.
Narvaez, who voluntarily surrendered through the help of his friends from the police, also denied the charges.
In a separate news conference, Calabarzon regional police director Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla said investigators had established that Narvaez was the driver of the getaway vehicle, a Mitsubishi Adventure van taken from one of the victims in the robbery.
He said Narvaez was positively identified by gasoline boy and a jeepney barker getting off from the vehicle in Barangay Turbina.
Padilla added Dela Cruz, who was supposed to be on vacation leave, was seen inside the bank during the robbery.
“Dela Cruz is the insider man of the criminal group,” he said.
Investigators also established Dela Cruz was inside the bank vault, from where his fingerprints had been lifted.
Padilla said a background check on Dela Cruz revealed he was implicated in a bank robbery incident though he did not elaborate.
Bartolome added a background check on Narvaez and Letoquit also revealed they have pending criminal cases. Narvaez is facing robbery charges in Sto. Tomas, Batangas while Letoquit has a similar case pending in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite.
Police records also showed Bago worked as a former security guard.
Laguna provincial police director Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas said there are other criminal groups involved in the RCBC robbery.
He said the four people killed in Tanauan, Batangas in a police follow up operation as well as the killing of Montano Tolentino, a suspected leader of a robbery gang in Calamba, Laguna, all have criminal history.
“These people have a previous criminal record. They are involved in robbery. All the firearms we confiscated from them are subjected to ballistic examination to determine if the firearms matched those of the recovered bullets inside the bank,” Rojas said.
Rojas declared the robbers took a total of P9 million from the bank. – With Ed Amoroso