‘FALLEN’ SOLDIERS Their heads covered, Presidential Security Group members Sgt. Marvin Gaton (left) and Cpl. Bobby Ates are brought to Camp Karingal for questioning on Friday following their arrest in connection with a Quezon City car shop robbery.INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Two members of the Presidential Security Group recently arrested in connection with a car shop theft have been released from detention pending a preliminary investigation of the robbery charge, but one of them has had to post bail after being indicted on charges of illegal possession of firearms and violating the election gun ban.
Cpl. Bobby Ates was released after posting bail of P72,000 for the gun charges, which have been raffled off to the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 34 and the Regional Trial Court Branch 81. Ates’ arraignment in the illegal possession of firearms case has been scheduled for September 10.
Court records showed that Assistant City Prosecutor Caroline Tobias decided to take Ates to court on the gun charges after he failed to present documents for the 9-mm HK USP pistol recovered from him when he was arrested last May 23 along with Sgt. Marvin Gaton.
The charges of illegal possession of firearms and of violating the election gun ban against Gaton were remanded for further investigation as he was able to present documents for the .45-caliber pistol seized from him. He was thus released from detention while the preliminary investigation is ongoing.
The charge of robbery in band against Ates and Gaton was remanded for preliminary investigation after the complainant, auto shop owner Richard Tubig, failed to show up for the summary inquest proceedings against the two soldiers.
The charges stemmed from the May 23 robbery at the Streamline Auto Saloon and Detailing Shop on Mindanao Avenue Extension in Barangay Lagro, owned by Tubig. Five men pulled off the robbery, allegedly taking several electronic gadgets and a white Honda Civic owned by Tubig’s brother.
The two PSG members were arrested at a KTV bar an hour after the robbery, following a citizen’s call about the presence of armed men in the bar, and were identified by a witness as being among the robbers.