A member of a notorious robbery gang based in Talibon and San Miguel towns and suspected as behind the series of heists in this city last December was arrested in Consolacion in Cebu last Thursday.
The Anti-Robbery and Thievery Task Force headed by Supt Pablo Labra II identified the suspect as Valentino Garcia, Jr. He was caught in possession of a .45 cal. pistol loaded with seven bullets and five marijuana cigarettes.
Subsequent police investigation showed that he was part of the gang that robbed the Caltex Gas Station owned by former Judge Avelino Puracan in Talibon last Feb. 14. The establishment lost P21,000 in the hold-up.
The Cebu raid was intended for Casimero "Meloy" Garcia, brother of Valentin who is wanted for frustrated murder in Talibon. Meloy is the alleged gang leader.
When the police team pounced on the house where the suspects live, Meloy Casimero and three other companions scampered to different directions. He escaped with the two others on board a black motorcycle.
Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) Chief George Ylanan said they have been monitoring the presence of the Bohol gang since February last year.
He said that with Valentino's arrest, they were also able to update their existing photos because Valentino's camera phone contained images of the gang members.
Aside from gang leader Casimero, Ylanan identified the other ring members as Arsenio "Butyok" Polo, former Cafgu member Cresencio "Bruts" Reguya and Rodulfo "Dupong" Atega.
It was Reguya and Polo who fled with Casimero last Thursday.
In this city, the group has been tagged as responsible for the heists pulled off in Unitop last December 28,2006 where P500,000 was taken, the First Consolidated Bank last Jan. 5 that lost P333,000 and the Florencio Caltex Station.
The gang's firepower includes two .45 cal pistols, a baby Armalite, a .38 cal. pistol and two motorcycles. (Bohol Sunday Post, 6/17/2007)
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