5 suspects linked to Manila jewelry shop heist held

Police arrested five men believed to be members of the “Martilyo Gang” which pulled late Thursday afternoon a heist at a Manila jewelry store resulting in the death of three men, including two of the robbers, and injury to nine other persons.

Members of the Manila Police District homicide section, headed by Senior Insp. Joselito de Ocampo, and the Southern Police District Intelligence Division Special Operations Unit led by Supt. Allen Ocden, swooped down Friday on the group’s alleged hideout at Block 46 Lot 21 Maharlika Village in Taguig City.

The operation resulted in the arrest of Muktar Agao, 31; Abuber Abdulkador, 29; Mark Kalama, 22; Ben Panday, 22; and Sadam Mato, 19.

De Ocampo told the Inquirer that the five men were positively identified by at least six witnesses to the robbery.

“We were able to get the address off the suspect (Basir Basilon), who was initially arrested by our policemen in Sta. Cruz after he lobbed the grenade.  We brought along a witness to the site and our witness spotted one of the robbers going inside the house,” the MPD homicide section chief pointed out.

It was then that the police teams rounded up occupants of the house and invited them for questioning to the MPD headquarters.

The suspects pulled out the heist at The Sisters Jewelries and General Merchandise along C.M. Recto Avenue in Sta. Cruz. One of the suspects lobbed a grenade while fleeing, causing injuries to nine other people.