Treñas to commend CPU security guards for arresting car thief
City Mayor Jerry Treñas will give a mayor’s citation to the security guards of Central Philippine University (CPU) who arrested a former barangay captain from Antique province who is involved in the series of looting in schools and parked vehicles.
Treñas said he will commend the university’s blue guards for the arrest of former Barangay Captain Sergio Dava last week. He said he will coordinate with the CPU security head to get the names of those behind the arrest.
The university guards are on alert being the host of the national University Games. There are 52 university delegates here competing for various games. There are different venues for each sporting events.
Prior to Dava’s arrest, there were delegates who lost their valuables. The same incident prompted the university to tighten their security measures in protecting the delegates.
Dava, 31, was arrested by the security guards while on the act of opening a vehicle owned by Ada Delgado. The suspect was alone at the time of his arrest. It was not established on whether he has other accomplices inside the university campus preying on expensive valuables of their victims.
The security guards were already familiar on the owners of vehicles entering the university campus. The suspect acted like he was the owner of the vehicle. He did not panic when security came close to him.
Luckily, Delgado arrived at the time when the security guards already doubted Dava. She denied knowing the suspect.
When frisked, Dava has in his possession some belongings owned by Delgado such as cellular phones, credit cards and pertinent papers. Several other ATM cards believed to be owned by students from various universities were recovered from the suspect.
It was learned that Dava resigned from his position as barangay captain of Barangay Zarragoza, Bugasong, Antique after he committed fraud involving barangay funds.
Dava denied he is a member of the Basag Kotse Gang. He said he is only into thievery and not into Basa Kotse Operation which victimized car owners. Reportedly, Dava’s modus is to rent a room in pension houses and later rob the other occupants of their personal belongings.
However, police said there are strong indications that Dava is a member of the Basag Kotse Gang. Earlier, the police have arrested several suspects but it did not put a stop on the criminal activities of the group. The robbery group even heightened their operations.
The mayor said Dava’s arrest should not become a reason for the police to lay down their guards. The police still have to maintain peace and order in the city and address the crimes affecting Iloilo City particularly the Basag Kotse Gang.
