ORMOC CITY – Two of the five attempted robbery suspects of a pawnshop here were caught by personnel of the Ormoc City Police Office (OCPO) on October 17, 2024.
The apprehended suspects were identified as alias “Kobol,” a 37-year-old resident of Barangay Sto. Niño, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, and alias “John,” a 22-year-old resident of Barangay Mabasa, Argao, Cebu who was wearing a Philippine National Police (PNP) athletic uniform. The police also confiscated from the suspects a .45-caliber pistol loaded with eight rounds and a spare magazine with seven rounds.
According to the police investigation, the suspects tried to rob a pawnshop along Rizal Street at approximately 12:00 noon, but the employees noticed their suspicious behavior, triggered the alarm, and locked the doors, thereby stopping the robbery. The suspects left hastily the area using motorcycles, but one got into an accident during the escape. It was then that personnel from Police Station 1 and the Ormoc City Mobile Force Company (OCMFC) promptly responded and successfully apprehended two of them, while the other three managed to escape.
One of the arrested suspects, found wearing a police uniform, initially confused witnesses but later found out that he was a fraud. It was established through the investigation that the person posing as a police officer was not a PNP member. Authorities are treating the impersonation seriously, which added another layer of criminality to the case. “The fact that one of the suspects was impersonating a police officer is particularly troubling. This act not only threatens public safety but also attempts to exploit the trust citizens place in law enforcement. We are committed to finding the remaining suspects and bringing them to justice,” said OCPO City Director Police Colonel (PCOL) Reydante E. Ariza.
Meanwhile, police authorities are asking for the public’s cooperation as they are actively pursuing leads to identify the three other unidentified individuals who fled the scene. “I commend the swift action of our officers in apprehending the two suspects, and we are working tirelessly to identify and locate the other three,” Ariza added.
Finally, the police is calling on anyone with information to contact the OCPO hotline number at 09985986690 or Police Station 1 at 09985986691. Bystanders who witnessed the occurrence commended OCPO and the Traffic Enforcement and Management (TEAM) Office, headed by Ramil Ramirez, for their teamwork in apprehending the suspects. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail October 14-20, 2024 issue)
