IPPO: Organized group behind Ceres bus heist
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office is looking at an organized group as those behind the robbery of a Ceres Liner bus Tuesday evening in Anilao town, Iloilo.
IPPO director Senior Supt. Renato Gumban said the suspects have a connection to the group of convicted kidnap-for-ransom suspect Jonathan Poblacion.
“Some of them even operate in Metro Manila. After sometime, they would lie low here and also hit other areas in the province,” Gumban said.
He said they already have the identities of the three suspects, who were identified by the victims through the police’s rogue gallery.
The suspects are believed to be residents of Banate and San Enrique.
“We’re tailing this group because they are quite organized and could possibly launch another operation,” Gumban said.
Starting this month, the IPPO will closely monitor robbery groups because they would be active in the coming months which are considered “lean season,” he said.
There were six persons who held up a Ceres Liner bus Tuesday evening along Brgy. Dangula-an in Anilao town. Four of the suspects posed themselves as passengers.
The suspects flagged down the bus along Sitio Bugtong Bato, Brgy. Culasi, Ajuy town, and when the vehicle reached Brgy. Dangula-an, one of the suspects alighted the bus only to board seconds later already wearing a bonnet.
They took some P61,000 in cash from the passengers and several mobile phones, and jewelry. Passenger Jet Lagradante of Banate, Iloilo lost his $1,500 to the robbers.
Bus conductor Marlon Lampa also surrendered his P15,000 collection after he was ordered to leave the bus.
