4 nabbed for QC home robberies
Four suspected members of a robbery gang, who allegedly pretended to be law enforcers to gain access into their victims’ homes, were arrested on Friday in manhunts conducted in three cities.
A 2 a.m. operation in Pasig City led to the capture of Reynante Mirasol, 36, and his live-in partner Teresita Batiquin, 38, at their house on Pinalad Road, Centennial II, Barangay Pinagbuhatan.
Follow-up operations tracked down two more suspects: Anaclita Zubiaga, 38, who was found living in a slum area in Barangay Napindan, Taguig City, and Randy Lukban, 44, a village watchman in Barangay 59, Caloocan City.
The arrests were made by joint teams from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region.
According to QCPD director Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio, the four suspects were being linked to a series of daytime robberies targeting mostly Quezon City households.
Pretending to be policemen looking for a wanted person, the robbers would barge in the moment the gate was opened, then hogtie their victims at gunpoint as they ransack their homes, Tinio said.
The QCPD chief tagged Mirasol as the leader of the group, whose latest assault was on a house on Mahiyain Street, Teachers Village, on Tuesday, where around P200,000 worth of valuables were taken.
Seized from Mirasol’s house were a Toyota Avanza (YEC-437), two motorcycles, a Gloc 17 Gen4 9-mm pistol, an Armscor .45-cal. pistol, two loaded .38-cal. revolvers, 90 rounds of .45-cal. ammunition, and a case of M16 bullets.
The police also found several laptops, cell phones, bags, watches and TV sets believed to have been stolen from other homes.
Tinio said the four suspects were positively identified by a resident of Scout Castor Street, Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City, whose house was robbed on Oct. 22.
The group was also believed to be behind the robbery on Mapagkumbaba Street, Sikatuna Village, in January; another on K-6, East Kamias, in March; on Malumanay Street, Teachers Village, in April, and on Matipid Street, also in Sikatuna, in August last year.
The QCPD also linked them to the Oct. 21 robbery outside Metro Manila that victimized the family of a policeman, PO1 Rainier Rillon, in San Fernando, Pampanga province.
Friday’s arrests were made without warrants since they were considered part of “continuing operations” prompted by the latest
robbery on Tuesday, said QCPD spokesperson Insp. Rohaina Asalan. With Krizia Jamille Yap
