Another suspect in LSGH robbery surrenders

MANILA, Philippines - A second suspect in a robbery involving a La Salle Greenhills high school student surrendered yesterday and named the boy’s aunt as the mastermind.

Construction helper Billy Bantol, 26, gave himself up to Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Elmer Jamias yesterday afternoon.

“He claimed that he felt the pressure of the police manhunt… so he decided to surrender,” said Jamias, noting that Bantol was accompanied by chairman Reynaldo Samson Jr., of Barangay Bambang and lawyer Tristan Ambrosio Reyes.

According to Bantol, the boy’s aunt initially offered him a job as a construction worker.

He said he agreed to take part in the robbery because he needed money to buy medicines for his sick child.

Bothered by her conscience, the boy’s aunt admitted Monday before Senior Superintendent Jose Hidalgo Jr., Pasig City police chief her role in the robbery.

According to Hidalgo, the aunt and Bantol shared the P40,000 loot and the aunt used the money to pay long-standing debts.

The aunt is a cousin of the boy’s mother.

Bantol said he barged into the silver Toyota Vios driven by the aunt as soon as the 12-year-old eighth grader entered the vehicle at about 2:15 p.m. Sunday.

Bantol pretended to be armed with a knife, which was covered with a shirt. He ordered the boy to call his father and ask for P100,000 in exchange for his release.

The boy was released at a mall in Pasig City after the boy’s father handed over P40,000 to Bantol.

The aunt drove off, leaving the boy behind with his father. She claimed Bantol got off at another mall in Mandaluyong City and ran off with the money.

LSGH officials turned over closed-circuit television footage showing the aunt and Bantol talking to each other prior to the incident.

Hidalgo said the aunt and Bantol would be charged with robbery in relation to Republic Act 7610, the anti-child abuse law, before the Pasig prosecutor’s office.