CEBU, Philippines - Several high-powered guns were recovered yesterday noon from a vehicle abandoned by members of a suspected robbery group from Ozamiz City at the parking lot of a Cebu City mall.
Police believe that the group was out to rob an establishment inside the mall but retreated upon spotting a roving police patrol car.
Cebu City Police Office director Mariano Natu-el Jr. identified the leader of the group as Aylon Parojinog, with aliases Allon, Al-al, and Marlon Par.
Parojinog has been identified by Edgar Rubite, the driver of the van whom the group held captive.
Rubite, 32, disclosed that a man, whom he later identified as Parojinog, rented a van from their office, Safe Ride Rentals, in Mandaue City at 10 a.m. yesterday.
"Morenta daw siya tulo ka oras ra. Naa daw siya kuhaon sa Pier 1 kay muabot daw iyang asawa. Kana pa g'yung van na tinted daw," said Rubite.
The man rented the grey Toyota Hi-Ace van (YCD 768) with Rubite as the driver. The man said though that he would take over the wheel when they reached Pier 1.
At past 10 a.m., Rubite drove the van and picked up Parojinog and a male companion near a furniture establishment in front of the mall. About two meters away, two other men embarked on the van.
While inside the van, the four men immediately choked and blindfolded him, and tied his hands with a packaging tape. One of the men then drove the van.
"Adto unta ko moagi sa pikas pultahan para moikyas unya gihulga ma ko nga patyon daw ko. Ila kong gibira ug gipasaka sa luyo," Rubite narrated.
While pleading for his life, the men assured that they would not kill him if he would just keep quiet.
The van repeatedly stopped to load more people, he said.
He said he then heard one of the men talk to a woman over the phone.
"Niingon siya 'unsa man, ready na mi'. Unya gitagsaan niya'g armas iyang mga kauban, naghuwat sila og go signal atong ilang kontak nga babaye," Rubite narrated to police.
Just then, the group retreated upon seeing a police patrol car behind them, Rubite said.
"Kadali sa daw kay naa'y pulis nag-sunod-sunod so ni-lie low sila. Nahinagbo gani namo ang usa ka-patrol car. Relax lang daw, hinay-hinay drive. Nangagi mi ato og mga libaong. Nag-hinay-hinay sila og naog unya naghisgot nga moadto og Danao (City), unya minghunong ang van," he said.
Once again, he begged for his life to be spared, but no one answered. He then forcibly took off the tape from his hands.
When he took away the cloth that covered his eyes, no one was already inside the van.
He got off the vehicle but saw a man he believed was part of the group shouting at him where he was going.
"Ningdagan ko'g kusog. Ningduol ko sa security guard (of the mall) unya wala ma'y armas. Wa ko nihunong og dagan hangtod nakasakay ko og taxi ug nagpahatod ko sa police station," Rubite said.
Personnel from Mabolo Police Station, City Intelligence Branch and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team rushed to the mall's open parking lot and found the van, with its engine still on.
Inside, police recovered seven caliber .45 pistols, two KG9 pistols, several ammunition, a fragmented grenade, two pipe wrenches, hammer, and a telescope, among others.
There were no more traces of Parojinog and his companions.
Rubite and the van are now in police custody.
Natu-el said they showed Rubite the rouge's gallery, from where Rubite identified Parojinog as the one who rented the van.
The CCPO director believed that the robbery group was targeting a jewelry store inside the mall.
Natu-el has already alerted bus terminals and seaports in Cebu against the presence of Parojinog and his group.
The CCPO director said Parojinog's group had staged robberies in Ozamiz City and Metro Manila.
Police are contemplating to file charges for kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms against the suspects.
Earlier, the police warned bank establishments in Cebu of possible entry of robbery groups from Mindanao.
Ozamiz group aborts rob try
CEBU, Philippines - Several high-powered guns were recovered yesterday noon from a vehicle abandoned by members of a suspected robbery group from Ozamiz City at the parking lot of a Cebu City mall.
Police believe that the group was out to rob an establishment inside the mall but retreated upon spotting a roving police patrol car.
Cebu City Police Office director Mariano Natu-el Jr. identified the leader of the group as Aylon Parojinog, with aliases Allon, Al-al, and Marlon Par.
Parojinog has been identified by Edgar Rubite, the driver of the van whom the group held captive.
Rubite, 32, disclosed that a man, whom he later identified as Parojinog, rented a van from their office, Safe Ride Rentals, in Mandaue City at 10 a.m. yesterday.
"Morenta daw siya tulo ka oras ra. Naa daw siya kuhaon sa Pier 1 kay muabot daw iyang asawa. Kana pa g'yung van na tinted daw," said Rubite.
The man rented the grey Toyota Hi-Ace van (YCD 768) with Rubite as the driver. The man said though that he would take over the wheel when they reached Pier 1.
At past 10 a.m., Rubite drove the van and picked up Parojinog and a male companion near a furniture establishment in front of the mall. About two meters away, two other men embarked on the van.
While inside the van, the four men immediately choked and blindfolded him, and tied his hands with a packaging tape. One of the men then drove the van.
"Adto unta ko moagi sa pikas pultahan para moikyas unya gihulga ma ko nga patyon daw ko. Ila kong gibira ug gipasaka sa luyo," Rubite narrated.
While pleading for his life, the men assured that they would not kill him if he would just keep quiet.
The van repeatedly stopped to load more people, he said.
He said he then heard one of the men talk to a woman over the phone.
"Niingon siya 'unsa man, ready na mi'. Unya gitagsaan niya'g armas iyang mga kauban, naghuwat sila og go signal atong ilang kontak nga babaye," Rubite narrated to police.
Just then, the group retreated upon seeing a police patrol car behind them, Rubite said.
"Kadali sa daw kay naa'y pulis nag-sunod-sunod so ni-lie low sila. Nahinagbo gani namo ang usa ka-patrol car. Relax lang daw, hinay-hinay drive. Nangagi mi ato og mga libaong. Nag-hinay-hinay sila og naog unya naghisgot nga moadto og Danao (City), unya minghunong ang van," he said.
Once again, he begged for his life to be spared, but no one answered. He then forcibly took off the tape from his hands.
When he took away the cloth that covered his eyes, no one was already inside the van.
He got off the vehicle but saw a man he believed was part of the group shouting at him where he was going.
"Ningdagan ko'g kusog. Ningduol ko sa security guard (of the mall) unya wala ma'y armas. Wa ko nihunong og dagan hangtod nakasakay ko og taxi ug nagpahatod ko sa police station," Rubite said.
Personnel from Mabolo Police Station, City Intelligence Branch and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team rushed to the mall's open parking lot and found the van, with its engine still on.
Inside, police recovered seven caliber .45 pistols, two KG9 pistols, several ammunition, a fragmented grenade, two pipe wrenches, hammer, and a telescope, among others.
There were no more traces of Parojinog and his companions.
Rubite and the van are now in police custody.
Natu-el said they showed Rubite the rouge's gallery, from where Rubite identified Parojinog as the one who rented the van.
The CCPO director believed that the robbery group was targeting a jewelry store inside the mall.
Natu-el has already alerted bus terminals and seaports in Cebu against the presence of Parojinog and his group.
The CCPO director said Parojinog's group had staged robberies in Ozamiz City and Metro Manila.
Police are contemplating to file charges for kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms against the suspects.
Earlier, the police warned bank establishments in Cebu of possible entry of robbery groups from Mindanao.