Suspect in store, gas station robberies falls

CEBU, Philippines - One of the four suspects in robbing a merchandising store last October 23 was arrested during a continuous operation of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch Thursday morning in Sitio Mansawa, Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City.

Ponciano Villamor a.k.a "Ponz," 26, of Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City was arrested by operatives of the IDMB through the help of Binaliw Barangay Captain Wilson Bacor .

Senior Police Officer 2 Marcos Noval of the IDMB said the suspect was arrested after they were able to show his mugshot to Bacor.  At that time, a barangay tanod was around and told the police that the suspect was his relative.

Through the help of Bacor, the suspect was then arrested and brought for detention in Mandaue City.

It was already the suspect's second arrest after he was also arrested in March 2012 in his girlfriend's house in Barangay Cansaga, Consolacion for robbery charges. He is currently out on bail.

During his arrest, he vehemently denied his involvement in robbing Remee's Merchandising. Police said he did not divulge the names of his cohorts.

However, the suspect was positively identified by Pedro Ngisi, the store cashier, as the one who aimed a .38 caliber firearm at him and his personality also matched with the CCTV camera footage.

Aside from robbing Remee's Merchandising, the suspect, together with his three other cohorts, was also tagged as suspects in robbing two Petron gasoline stations earlier this month, but Villamor also denied being involved in both cases.

Remee's Merchandising  lost more than P15,000 after it was robbed by four suspects onboard two separate Honda XRM  motorcycles last October 23 .

Police have been alarmed by the series of robbery in the city which involved four suspects onboard two separate motorcycles, thus the continuous operation was conducted for their arrest.

A robbery case is already prepared against the suspect who is currently detained at the Casuntingan Police Station. — Flor Z. Perolina (FREEMAN)