2 suspects in mall robbery nabbed in Iloilo raid

NABBED. The two suspects of the Robinsons Galleria robbery and shooting incident last March 29, Willy Enriquez, left, and Ereno Dela Cruz, center, were arrested April 16, 2012 in Iloilo City by QCPD CIDU tracker team. Photo courtesy of NCRPO

MANILA, Philippines – Two suspects involved in the robbery in Robinson’s Galleria in Quezon City that left one security guard dead and several others injured last March 29 were arrested in Iloilo on April 16, Police said Tuesday.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Police Director Alan Purisima identified the suspects as Willy Enriquez and Ereno Dela Cruz, who were arrested at about 8:00 p.m. as they were travelling on board a motorcycle in Crossing, Ubos Poblacion, Ajuy.

“This is a product of good investigation and we would like to commend the investigators of Quezon City Police District for this job,” Purisima said.

The suspects were found with .45 caliber Colt Mark IV and .38 caliber Smith and Wesson, Purisima said.

The suspects will be charged with robbery with homicide and illegal possession of firearms.

The suspects killed security guard, Rodrigo Villa, and injured several others when they opened fire and hurled a grenade as they robbed Sunry’s Money Changer at the basement level of Robinsons Galleria.

The suspects were positively identified by several witnesses, including two security guards, who gave the police their lead in the arrest.

Neither the offer of reward money nor tips from informants helped authorities to track down the suspects, Purisima said.

He said they found out that the suspects had pending warrants of arrest in Pasay and Paranaque for robbery in band which became their basis for making the arrests.

He added that they were still in the process of determining if the suspects were members of a robbery group in Ozamiz City.

The suspects will be flown in from Iloilo Tuesday afternoon, Purisima said.

He added that the arrest of the suspects would help them to get more leads on the whereabouts and identities of their accomplices.

A tracker team of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), in cooperation with police units from Lemery, Iloilo and Police Regional Office 6, was responsible for arrests, he said.