• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The two suspects involved in the robbery-holdup that victimized a medical doctor in Bacolod City were arrested in separate operations hours after authorities announced a P200,000 reward for information leading to their capture, the police said.
The first suspect, identified only with the alias “Rem,” 37, was arrested by personnel of Police Station 1 at around 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 30 at the Barangay Hall of Barangay 40.
His companion, known by the alias “Shan,” 32, was apprehended at 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, May 31 during a joint operation of Police Station 1 and City Intelligence Unit.
Recovered from Shan’s possession were a Yamaha Sniper 150 motorcycle believed to have been used as the suspects’ getaway vehicle, an iPhone 17 Pro, and a Samsung Galaxy A55 5G mobile phone.
The victim was robbed on the night of May 28 while entering an apartment compound in Barangay 19.
Despite being threatened with a firearm, she resisted her attacker, attempted to run inside the compound for safety, and even tried to pursue the fleeing suspects.
Police investigators had already established the identities of the suspects before surveillance footage of the incident went viral on social media.
They said the suspects’ attempt to sell the stolen mobile phones in the area of Centroplex Mall provided crucial leads that allowed authorities to track their movements and eventually locate them.
Following the circulation of the video footage showing the doctor being robbed at gunpoint, the city government led by Mayor Greg Gasataya, together with the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region, announced a total reward of P200,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the perpetrators.
“The reward offered mobilized the community and our intelligence units. Every tip and lead we received was validated and followed up immediately, and that is what brought us straight to them,” Police Station 1 officer-in-charge PMaj. Rondyl Tapang said.
The two suspects, who are detained at Police Station 1, are expected to face charges of robbery with violence or intimidation of persons.
PCol. Eugene Rebadomia, director of Bacolod City Police Office, said the incident was an isolated case, emphasizing that the arrested suspects are not affiliated with any organized crime group and have no known links to habitual offenders.
During a press briefing on May 30, Gasataya reaffirmed the city government’s commitment to public safety.
“We do not abandon our people,” the mayor said, adding that the reward would be granted to the informant whose information helped authorities solve the case. | GB
