Suspect in bloody ’08 bank heist nabbed again

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—A prime suspect in the 2008 bank heist that left 10 persons dead in Cabuyao, Laguna, was arrested anew in Tanauan City, Batangas, police said Friday.

Jake Javier, 26, who is out on bail, was arrested on Wednesday for possession of an unlicensed .45 cal. pistol at a police checkpoint in Barangay Darasa in Tanauan.

He was alone aboard a motorcycle when accosted by police at around 10 p.m. on Sept. 7, said Supt. Manuel Manalo, Tanauan police chief.

Manalo said by phone that a complaint for illegal possession of firearm has been filed against Javier at the Tanauan prosecutor’s office.

Javier is a suspect in the P12-million heist at a branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.  in Cabuyao, Laguna, in May 2008. Ten people, mostly bank employees, were killed by the robbers. Many were shot in the head.

Javier is son of Vivencio Javier, one of four men tagged responsible for the bank massacre and was slain in a gunfight with police in Tanauan City in May 2008.

The Commission on Human Rights, however, said there were signs of a rubout in the killing of the elder Javier. CHR temporarily took custody of the younger Javier.

Also in 2008, the younger Javier was turned over to police in Camp Crame after a regional trial court in Biñan, Laguna, issued a warrant for his arrest.

Manalo said the younger Javier returned to Tanauan sometime last month.