(UPDATE) Charges filed vs 6 suspects in Cabuyao massacre
By Thea Alberto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:55:00 05/30/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Robbery with homicide charges have been filed against six persons -- three of them already in police custody -- allegedly responsible for the bloody May 16 robbery of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) branch in Cabuyao, Laguna.
Charged were Richard Gomolon, a former Army soldier police said was positively identified by a child as one of those who first entered the bank; RCBC security guard Joel Dela Cruz; Jesus Narvaez, who authorities said surrendered; Danilo Letoquit, who allegedly arranged the procurement of the getaway vehicle; and Allan Bago, who was identified by other witnesses from a police rogues’ gallery.
Ten persons -- eight bank employees, a security guard and a client -- were killed, all with shots to the head, by the robbers who then made off with P12 million, police said earlier.
Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, police director for the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region said the suspects have been charged before the Biñan (Laguna) Regional Trial Court.
Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Frisco Martin recommended no bail for Dela Cruz, Narvaez, Gomolon, Bago, and Letoquit.
In Information Sheet No. 08246 filed before the Laguna Provincial Prosecutor's Office, Dela Cruz, Bago and Gomolon were among the suspects who were sighted inside the bank during the robbery.
Narvaez and Letoquit, were supposedly seen by witnesses abandoning the getaway vehicle, which was later recovered by police.
Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, Philippine National Police spokesman, said a background check on some of the suspects revealed that Letoquit has a pending robbery case in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite, while Narvaez has a pending robbery case in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Police records meanwhile identified Bago as a former security guard.
Authorities are depending on at least three witnesses for circumstantial evidence since there were no survivors in the bank.
Gomolon, who was presented in Camp Crame Friday morning, Dela Cruz and Narvaez are now under custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), while Bago, Letoquit, and other still unidentified suspects remain at large, police said.
National Capital Region Police Office Director Geary Barias hoped the three suspects in custody would lead to the arrest of the others.
Padilla said operations are continuing to hunt down the other suspects.
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