Family hogtied, robbed by Sta. Ana cops

MANILA, Philippines - Four men, including two policemen, broke into the house of a real estate firm executive, hogtied his family and took nearly P3 million in valuables in Sta. Ana, Manila Wednesday night.

When sales manager Mico Bagui, 36, and his wife, Shantal, 34, went to the nearest police station Friday to report the crime, they were surprised to find that two of the robbers were members of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 6 in Sta. Ana.

Police Officer 1 Roberto Cruz, who happened to be at the station, was arrested by his colleagues and charged with robbery.

Another Station 6 policeman, PO3 Morris Balindog, has gone into hiding, officials said.

The Baguis told The STAR yesterday that four men barged into their home at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, looking for a certain “Eric” and “Anton.”

He said the men told them to lay face down on the floor, then hogtied them and herded them into the bathroom.

“They took everything… jewelries, money and even food in the refrigerator. They even took perfumes and baby diapers,” Shantal said.

The family said they lost only P15,000 cash, but their jewelry and watches like Rolex, Cartier and Chopard were taken.

Earlier, acting on tip from a source, Bagui and several policemen tried locating the suspects and came upon barangay security chief Regente Osalla, who was apparently trying to help Balindog and his wife escape. The Baguis also positively identified Osalla during a confrontation at the MPD headquarters yesterday.

Cruz and Osalla denied the allegation but police investigators said their alibis cannot stand against the identification of the victims.

Osalla said he was at the barangay hall at the time the crime was committed and he did not know anything about the activities of the two policemen until Balindog’s wife called him up and instructed him to bring them their car, some clothes and money to a designated meeting place.

He said he was about to meet the Balindogs when he was arrested.