Talisay police snare ‘Teban’ rob suspects

Less than 24 hours after the house burglary of Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Juilian “Teban” Daan, Talisay City police arrested two suspects—a nephew of the victim and a neighbor.

Julius Racaza, a 34-year-old resident of sitio Iba, barangay Lagtang of Talisay City, and Ramses Abatayo were arrested at separate locations at dawn yesterday.

Police recovered almost all of the jewelry stolen from Daan worth over P1 million.

Yolly, Daan’s wife, said only Daan’s Rado wristwatch worth P35,000 and her P50,000 choker were still missing.

Chief Insp. Eddie Recamara, acting Talisay City police chief, said the necklace was already pawned for P9,000.

He said police obtained a receipt of the RD pawnshop in Mambaling, where one of Yolly’s jewelry pieces was pawned for P9,600.

Abatayo was caught in a boardinghouse in barangay Basak, Cebu City, at 5:30 a.m. Most of the jewelry was recovered from him. Abatayo was identified as the masked man who poked a knife at Daan during the burglary.

Racaza, a nephew of Daan, was arrested at his home in Lagtang at past 6 a.m.

Abatayo is the PB member’s neighbor in Palmside Village behind Gaisano Mall in sitio Sangi, barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

Police said the suspects did not resist arrest.

Racaza, the nephew, was emotional when he denied being part of the robbery. He said he was working as a charcoal maker in Lagtang, Talisay when the crime took place.

But the police said Abatayo was the one who named Racaza, a cousin of Daan’s daughter-in-law, as the lookout during the robbery.

“Siya (Racaza) man gani nag-ingon nako nga dili ta ma zero-han diha sa ilang Teban. Mao na nga na interesado nalang sad ko (Racaza told me that you would not wind up empty-handed with Teban. That’s why I got interested),” Abatayo said.

Daan said he will submit a resolution to the PB commending the Talisay City police for the immediate arrest of the suspects.

“Dako lang jud pasalamat ko sa Ginoo nga wa ko niya dunggaba (I was very thankful to the Lord that I wasn’t stabbed),” Daan said, recalling the burglary, where he was held at knifepoint at home about 9:30 a.m. Monday by a masked man who had entered the house.

The PB member, who is diabetic, said he nearly suffered a heart attack and had to take Valium, a sedative, in order to sleep after the incident.

Yolly apologized to the Talisay City police for being critical of them for their delayed arrival in the house after the crime occurred.

She had tried to call the Talisay City police’s telephone number 273-3636, which didn’t connect because the line was disconnected due to unpaid bills.

Chief Insp. Recamara said one of their phone lines was cut of the day before the robbery.

Recamara said he already informed the Talisay City government about their unpaid phone bills.

Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) chief, said they would provide Daan with a security escort.

He commended the police officers responsible for the swift arrest of suspects.

The operatives were Insp. Rio Hugo Ipong, Insp. Ricardo Echavez, PO3 Mikie Espina, PO3 Rey Bucao, Po3 Benedicto Lasque and PO2 Roy Lofranco.

Last Monday, Daan was typing his radio drama script at his house when a burglar later identified as Abatayo entered through an unlocked door and held him at knifepoint.

Daan and his female househelper were ordered to break open the steel cabinet in the bedroom where the jewelry was stored.

Daan said the intruder had his face partly covered with cloth but had large, prominent eyes.

Police said the two suspects face charges of robbery with force and intimidation.

Recamara said they identified Abatayo as the prime suspect because he fit Daan’s description of the assailant.

He said the two men were spotted by neighbors closely observing Daan’s house over the weekend.

In the wake of Daan’s harrowing robbery experience, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said she will consider an offer by a Manila-based security company to provide training for PB staff members.

She said the company, which also provides training for staff and close-in security of lawmakers in Congress, charges a minimal fee.

But Magpale said they will have to pay for accommodation and plane tickets of the trainers.

PB Member Sun Shimura, who heads the PB peace and order committee, supported the idea, saying there was an available budget for training.

He said Capitol officials and their staff often visit different places in the province.With Correspondent Fe Marie Dumaboc