PSG won’t stand in way of probe of 2 suspects in QC robbery–Palace

FAIRVIEW police station chief Supt. Eleazar Matta looks at a Taser gun seized from two robbery suspects who later turned out to be members of the Presidential Security Group. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Malacañang on Thursday confirmed that two members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were arrested for a robbery incident in Quezon City on Wednesday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, however, clarified the two were not part of the close-in detail of President Benigno Aquino III.

Quezon City policemen arrested early Thursday morning two men bearing IDs showing they were members of the PSG at a KTV bar one hour after their group allegedly pulled a robbery at a neighboring automobile shop.

Quezon City Police Department (QCPD) Fairview station commander Supt. Eleazar Matta told the Inquirer that suspects Bobby Ates, 25, of Pandacan, Manila; and Marvin Gaton, 31, of Barangay San Jose in Antipolo City, were identified by an employee of Streamline Auto Salon and Detailing Shop along Mindanao Avenue Extension, Barangay Greater Lagro in Novaliches, as among five armed men who pulled a heist Wednesday midnight at the shop.

“The PSG is fully cooperating with the QCPD on this matter. There is an ongoing investigation on the alleged acts committed by these two,” Valte said at a briefing.

She also did not specify if the two, whom she did not name, were soldiers or police officers.

The PSG is made up of different complements from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.

“If the evidence on record warrants the filing of charges against these two, then the PSG will not stand in the way. They will have to defend themselves primarily because the PSG does not condone any wrongdoing, Valte said.

She added that there were also reports of incidents of alleged PSG involvement in the past,”but in the investigation it turned out that they were innocent.

“Let’s not prejudge the case since there’s an ongoing investigation. They are entitled to defend themselves in court. Secondly, they are not close-in detail of the President. And thirdly, the PSG tries very hard to instill this particular trait in the people who join the PSG, and it’s unfortunate that there’s an incident like this,” she said.

The suspects yielded handguns and an automatic rifle, and IDs indicating they were Army enlisted personnel with the ranks of corporal and sergeant.

Matta said employees of a bar   where the two were arrested noticed that the two  were armed and immediately called  the police.

Ates and Gaton were identified by Streamline security guard Manolo Panotes as among five men who robbed the shop.

The pair denied taking part in the robbery, although they admitted that they owned the pistols, but not the rifle.

They are now detained at the Fairview police station and could face robbery in band charges and violation of the election gun ban.