Mugshot of theft suspect Romeo Miranda. Courtesy: NCRPO
MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has arrested one of the suspects in the theft at a membership shopping club that victimized Rosalinda Montenegro, mother of actress Nadia Montenegro.
Police identified the suspect as Romeo Miranda, driver of the Toyota Innova with plate number NDK 5499 which was used by the suspects when they went to S&R in Novaliches, Quezon City.
In a statement issued Sunday, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said they have managed to identify the vehicle used by the suspects in going to a supermarket.
Miranda made a sworn written statement before the police station on the evening of March 4, claiming that his cohorts, alias Che and alias Joseph hired him to pick up their friends, and transport them to the warehouse supermarket.
Miranda claimed that he did not personally know the suspects and their identities.
However, he was still apprehended as QCPD’s Anti-Cybercrime Group verification showed that he and the other suspects had several common friends.
Miranda, along with his six other suspects who remain at large, will face theft charges.
“I commend the efficient investigation conducted by the elements of [Police Station]-16, QCPD which resulted to the arrest of one of the suspects in this theft incident,” NCRPO Regional Director Police Major General Felipe Natividad said in a statement.
“Moreover, we enjoin our citizens to be extra vigilant [of] their surroundings now that we have recorded the presence of [these] lawless elements even in places we least expect them to be. Guaranteed that NCRPO will not stop until all the suspects [are] located and arrested accordingly,” he continued.
Nadia Montenegro last week aired her dismay on S&R for supposedly being uncooperative after seven people stole an estimated P130,000 from her mother.