Suspects in botched Lahug heist identified

Police have identified three persons who allegedly planned to ransack a pawnshop by digging a tunnel in barangay Lahug, Cebu City, last Sunday.

Police said the suspects were members of  “acetylene-cutters” gang.

The suspects—Batnag Madrid, Kenneth Dagodoy Coplonga and Bebie Toring—were identified by witnesses through the rogue’s gallery, said Insp. Rolando Pinili, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Madrid and Dagodoy are from Benguet Mountain Province, while Toring was their local contact.

Toring is from barangay Basak, Cebu City.

Madrid was the one who identified himself as Johnny Lo when he contracted with the owner of the room that he rented.
Pinili said Coplonga was identified by a hardware store attendant as the one who bought pliers.

Police said the pliers were used to dig tunnel so they could pass from their rented room to the Gemmary Pawnshop.

Pinili said charges of attempted robbery, malicious mischief and a civil case for breach of contract are being readied against the suspects

Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, chief of the CCPO, said they will coordinate with their counterparts in Negros to extract more information about the suspects.

Since the suspects didn’t get anything from the pawnshop, there is a big possibility that the group will look for another target, said Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garcianio, chief of Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB).

With this, all monetary institutions were advised to beef their security measures, said Garciano./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON