‘Jet-skiing’ rob suspect rearrested; 6 cohorts nabbed

TWO YEARS later, the QCPD takes another mugshot of Jonathan Cuya. QCPD Photo

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Thursday night rearrested an alleged robbery gang leader who has been out on bail. A follow-up operation hours later led authorities to his six alleged accomplices.

The last time Jonathan Cuya was the target of a police manhunt, he was tracked down in March 2014 at a beach resort in Olongapo City, Zambales, where police said he had spent the days jet-skiing and laying low after leading a P2-million household heist in Cubao.

Now listed as the third most wanted person in the National Capital Region, Cuya after posting bail has accumulated 10 warrants of arrest over the last two years, again for armed robbery, motorcycle theft, and homicide, according to the QCPD director, Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar.

A QCPD team serving a warrant for a robbery-homicide case found Cuya at his residence on CJ Mariano Street, Purok Catleya, in San Jose Plaridel, Bulacan, at around 10 p.m. on Thursday, Eleazar said.

In this particular case, Cuya is accused of shooting Pabeo Omongos around 3 p.m. on July 30 along Pipit Street, Villilia Village in Barangay Talipapa, Quezon City, after the victim refused to let go of his sling bag containing cash.

The 26-year-old suspect did not resist arrest and pointed authorities to the Caloocan location of the motorcycle (NE 70744) that he stole on July 1.

In a follow-up operation around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, Cuya’s alleged accomplices—Von Carlo Calla, Jordan Strong, Kim Harold Gomez, Wilfredo Mislang Jr. and Derylle John Acero—were caught taking marijuana inside the house of Renato Gaborni on J. De Jesus Street, Barangay 138, Bagong Barrio in Caloocan.

Gaborni, who was drunk at the time, was also arrested after he tried to stop the investigation regarding the stolen motorcycle, which Cuya was supposed to sell to Strong.

Recovered from Cuya was a sling bag containing a .45-cal. pistol with seven rounds of ammunition.

The QCPD said one of Cuya’s most  recent victims, a male Quezon City resident, recognized the gun as the same weapon the suspect used to rob him of  P54,000 worth of gadgets and jewelry and P30,000 in cash on July 13.

Gaborni was set to be charged with obstruction of justice, while the five other accomplices were booked for use and possession of illegal drugs.