Notorious hold-up trio face criminal raps
Criminal charges were filed yesterday against the three notorious hold-up suspects operating in Iloilo province.
Janiuay Police Station chief Insp. Engilbert Banquillo filed the robbery with intimidation charges at the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors’ Office against Alnie Talamor, 27, of Brgy. Janipa-an Central, Cabatuan, Iloilo; and Benjie Mondiga, 32, and Mark Antonie Decir, 21, both residents of Brgy. Abilay, Maasin town.
The said charge was relative to the hold-up incident they launched against Isidro Aricaya, 46, of Macapagal St., Calinog early morning of Wednesday.
Also, Mondiga was rapped for illegal possession of explosives and ammunitions while both Talamor and Decir were charged for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions and violation of Batas Pambansa Bilang 6 or illegal possession of deadly weapon.
Although the trio were suspects for other robbery incidents in Iloilo province, Banquillo said that criminal charges for such cases are yet to be filed.
To note, the three suspects were arrested several hours after they robbed Aricaya at the Calinog Municipal Market.
Joint elements of Janiuay Police Station led by Insp. Engelbert Banquillo and the Iloilo Provincial Public Safety Management Company led by Supt. John Mitchel Jamili arrested them while they comfortably seated at a waiting shed at Brgy. Guadalupe, Janiauy town.
At around 8:00 a.m., reports said that the group were waiting for another prospective victim when police authorities approached and questioned them.
When the group approached them, the suspects were caught off guard and had to yield their weapons to include a homemade caliber .45 pistol loaded with 14 ammunitions, a caliber .357 revolver with 5 ammunitions; a fragmentation grenade, 2 knives, and steel spikes.
When they were brought for questioning, the suspects admitted to have held-up Aricaya.
The suspects were alleged to be responsible for at least 10 hold-up incidents.
The group, which is composed of at least five members, is allegedly headed by Talamor, who personally recruited Mondiga and Decir.
On April 13, 14, and 15, the group allegedly robbed lending collectors of Lifebank Foundation, Inc. based in Lambunao, Iloilo.
On April 23, they victimized another lending collector of Lifebank Foundation, Inc. based in Calinog town.
Last January 19, they were said to be responsible for robbing a collector of Progressive Bank in Janiuay town and another robbery was done in Banate town.
Last April 8, they were also suspects in the robbery of a collector in Leganes town.
They also spread their robbery binge at a Burger Machine store in Dingle, Iloilo and at Badiangan town last January 2.
Police are also studying the possibility that they were responsible for robbing a businesswoman in San Enrique who lost P180,000 to the suspects.
They are also suspects for robbing a tailoring shop in Sta. Barbara recently.
But the suspects denied any involvement in the said robberies.
They only admitted to what they did to Aricaya.
