‘Man nabbed in Roxas not bank rob suspect’

BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO

ILOILO City – The man arrested in Roxas City on Monday was not among the suspects in the EastWest Bank robbery, clarified the Regional Special Operations Group 6 (RSOG-6), the police unit probing the bank heist.

“Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher Dote of Brgy. Libo-o, Dingle, Iloilo was not involved in the robbery based on the statements of our witnesses,” said Supt. Robert Rodriguez, chief of RSOG-6.

Dote was arrested Monday afternoon on a rape charge. The complainant was a 16-year-old girl from Pan-ay, Capiz.

Rodriguez said their witnesses have identified three suspects, and none of them was Dote.

The three bank robbery suspects will be charged this week, Rodriguez revealed.

"We will hunt them after we have received the arrest warrants," Rodriguez added.

Dote was collared in Brgy. Loctugan, Roxas City. The police there believed that the arrest was a major breakthrough in ongoing police investigations not only on the EastWest Bank robbery but on other high-profile crimes.

Police said Dote was also a suspect in the murder of former Mayor Luis Mondia Jr. of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental early last year.

Mondia, 53, was shot to death outside the Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo City on February 17, 2010 a few minutes after attending a late afternoon Ash Wednesday Mass.

Police said Dote was also a suspect in the robbery of an Indian national and consequent death of responding policeman PO1 Elizer Pingoy in La Paz, Iloilo City last July 17, 2010, and in the holdup of a businessman who lost P3.2 million in President Roxas, Capiz.

A further check on the suspect’s background led the police to discover that Dote also has a pending warrant of arrest for robbery with homicide issued on November 15, 2010 by Regional Trial Court Judge Florian Gregory Abalajon of Branch 33 in Iloilo City./PN

Police identifies strafing suspect BY FELIPE V. CELINO ROXAS City — Policemen in President Roxas, Capiz has identified the man who allegedly strafed a house in the town’s Brgy. Santo Niño recently, killing a man and wounding another. Forty-six-year-old Apollo Villanueva was the suspect in killing Peter John Laurente and wounding the latter’s friend Joseph Llamo, SPO3 Heneroso Algarne said. Villanueva is also a resident of the same barangay, police said. Laurente, 29, succumbed to several gunshot wounds on his body. On the other hand, 23-year-old Llamo sustained gunshot wounds on both of his legs. He is currently confined in the Capiz Emmanuel Hospital here. Police reports said the two victims were having a drinking binge in the house of Nilo Laurente, Peter’s relative, when the suspect passed by. Without any provocation, Villanueva fired his .45-caliber firearm on the house, police said. The suspect fled after the incident. Investigating policemen recovered from the crime scene a cartridge and three slugs of a .45-caliber pistol. The suspect might have had old grudges against the victims, the police added. It may be recalled that the suspect’s brother Percilo Villanueva was shot dead by two unidentified suspects when he was about to attend a session at the barangay hall of Santo Niño on December last year. The two incidents may be related, the police said./PN   Disomangcop to cop interns:  Wear nameplate with pride ROXAS City — Supt. Kashmir Disomangcop, city police chief, urged a batch of police interns to “wear their nameplate with pride.” “Let it serve as a constant reminder of your desire, dedication and the commitment to serve others. It is a flower yet to bloom to a badge someday,” Disomangcop told the criminology Class Mabagsik 2010–2011 of the Capiz State University (CapSU) during their Police Internship Pinning Ceremony. “Today’s pinning ceremony is a beautiful rite-of-passage to the profession of law enforcement,” said Disomangcop, the event’s guest speaker. “The demands on you will be many — even up to the shedding of your own blood and sacrifice of your lives… but the rewards of a life dedicated in service to God and country is second to none,” he said. Dr. Eduardo Duero, chair of the CapSU Criminology Department, introduced Disomangcop as the event’s guest of honor and speaker. The ceremony started about 2 p.m. on January 20. Also present during the ceremony were Dr. Lucy Beluso, administrator of CAPSU Dayao Campus; Dr. Amelita Simon, representing Dr. Editha Magallanes; and Dr. Edna Nava, dean of the CapSU Academic Program. The cadets’ instructors and parents, and other honored guests also attended the event./PN         Police, AFP ink joint peace, security plan BY FELIPE V. CELINO ROXAS City — Top officials of the Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) signed the “AFP-Philippine National Police (PNP) Joint Letter Directive 07-2010” in Camp Apil, Brgy. Lanot here recently. The directive is otherwise known as the “Creation of Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Centers” in the province. Such initiative will strengthen the province’s campaign against insurgency, according to Col. Caesar Ronnie Ordoyo, commander of the Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade – 3rd Infantry Division. Senior Supt. Renato Gumban, provincial police director, said he anticipates a good working relationship between the local PNP and the AFP. He assured Ordoyo of an active participation from the CPPO officers and personnel. After the program for the signing, the different police chiefs and team leaders of the Provincial Public Safety Command were given time to acquaint with their AFP counterparts. In the joint implementing plan, the local PNP and the AFP pledged to collaboratively work to achieve their goals. Meanwhile, Ordoyo urged Capiceños to support the PNP-AFP campaign against insurgency. Other representatives from both parties and some members of the media witnessed the signing./PN (Disclamer) Bene Nota: The views and opinions expressed here by the author are personal to him, and do not reflect the views and opinions of the website owners and administrators. Any issue or complaint about the article must be addressed solely to the author, who is solely responsible for the article.