P50,000 reward for 3 cops may be released today

THE three policemen who helped foil a P1.2 million armored car robbery in 2011 at the Robinsons Place, may each receive today the P50,000 cash promised by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama earlier.

Rama said he ordered his chief of staff Philip Zafra to facilitate the release of the reward, which he wanted charged to his discretionary funds.

If the cash reward would be released today, then  PO2 Elrich Jourdin Catacutan, PO1 Roy Ceniza, and PO1 Ernesto Silva would be called to be at today’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council Meeting to receive the reward.

The three junior officers engaged in a shootout with a robbery group lead by Junjun Cabando during the September 2011 robbery.

Cabando’s group then robbed the armored van delivering P1.2 million to a money changer inside the Robinsons Place.

Cabando was arrested last July in Mindanao and is detained at the Cebu City jail.

PO2 Catacutan and PO1 Ceniza were wounded in the shootout.

Rama said he also wanted  P200,000 worth of projects given to the Cebu City Police Office as an expression of his appreciation for their good work./Correspondent Edison A. Delos Angeles