Police solves highway robberies in Samar

By ROMMEL L. RUTOR
July 21, 2006

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  Vowing to the public that he will go after the suspects of the series of hi-way robbery hold-ups occurring along the Maharlika highway, Samar Police Provincial Director Isdalih Idja Abah, finally scored in his promise when the Samar PNP apprehended two suspects in last Sunday’s hot pursuit operation.

The captured suspects were identified as Arnel P. Dacol and Generoso L. Padoc, both were 22 years old and residents of Brgy. Villa Aurora, Basey, Samar.

Recovered from the possession of the suspects were one .38 caliber revolver with 4 live bullets and two .357 magnum revolvers with four live bullets and two empty shells, and other items believed to be part of the loots in connection to the illegal trade of the suspects.

The Samarnews.com gathered that on July 15, 2006 the two suspects boarded a passenger van marked SWAN with plate number XMF 802 bound for Samar from Tacloban City Terminal, but upon reaching the vicinity of Brgy. San Juan, Sta. Rita town in Samar, the suspects announced the heist.

Unfortunately for the suspects, because one male passenger who was later identified as Angel Tapada, Jr., a member of the Bureau of Fire Protection Unit in Eastern Samar, resisted the heist and grappled with one of the suspects resulting to a scuffle inside the van.

As this developed, one of the suspects shot Tapada who was hit on his right leg, and threatened the other passengers with a grenade, that resulted to a panic among other van passengers who scampered for safety.

The commotion took the attention of P03 Nazario J. Lacambra of Sta. Rita Municipal Police Station (MPS) who was riding his motorcycle and was passing in the area for his routine intelligence toil and was told by some residents that a stick-up is on place and that the suspects are still inside the passenger van.

As a result, PO3 Lacambra immediately called for assistance from Sta. Rita MPS and likewise from the PNP Regional Mobile Group who were assigned at the San Juanico Bridge detachment.

The call for assistance was immediately responded by a joint team of the PNP Mobile group and the PNP Sta. Rita MPS led by SPPO Director Isdalih Idja Abah, who conducted a pursuit operation, which resulted to the capture of the two suspects in a nearby barangay.

The same apprehended suspects are believed to be responsible in the JM Van heist along Maharlika highway within the Brgy. Cantaba area also of Sta. Rita town that victimized four teachers who just claimed their loan from a lending institution in Tacloban City.

A victim from Gandara, Samar, upon learning of the suspect’s apprehension immediately went to the Sta. Rita MPS and positively identified the two suspected hold-uppers, “Amo na talaga ito hira, dire ko hingangalimtan iton nga ira mga nawong”, says the victim who requested not to be identified.

“Ang pag-kahuli nga dalawang ito ay isang lead din para sa amin na mahuli pa ang ibang mga kasamahan nito, na nambibiktima nga mga passenger van plying the Tacloban City and Samar route, sa ngayon ay may mga kasamahan pa ang mga suspects na ito at kasalukuyang mino-monitor nga mga kapulisan natin”, SSupt. Abah revealed.

“Noong martes ay sinampahan na natin ng kasong robbery ang mga suspects at the provincial prosecutor’s office in Basey, Samar, at kasalukuyang naka-detine sila sa Sta. Rita MPS”, he concluded.