DIGOS City ― The latest robbery/holdup incident involving a 27-year-old female criminologist and two motorcycle-riding thieves were quickly settled following a seemingly ‘hide-and-seek’ scenario shortly before midnight of April 5.
Major Crisaldo Gaila, Davao del Sur PCADU acting chief reported that at about 11:50 pm on Wednesday elements of Digos City police responded to a call for police assistance on the information that two unidentified robbers onboard a motorcycle armed with a knife took the cellular phone of a woman who was just walking along the road at Purok-3, Barangay Matti, Digos City.
As the police were heading towards the place of the incident, members of the civilian volunteers’ organization (CVO) of Barangay Matti who were earlier alerted by the victim hurriedly chased the culprits who left their motorcycle and scampered away in different directions in an effort to elude arrest.
There and then, one of the perpetrators who tried to hide in the water of a grassy irrigation canal was cornered by the CVOs and villagers who joined the chase.
The 28-year-old suspect identified as Mervin Mangagta Lariosa is single, a laborer, and a resident of Purok Rambutan, Barangay Malasila, Makilala, North Cotabato.
Knowing that the other suspect was still at large, the police established chokepoints in various parts of the area.
Minutes later, Jay-Ar Cabaling Inoc, 21, a resident of Purok Rambutan, Barangay Malasila, Makilala, North Cotabato was arrested.
The authorities recovered the Euro motorcycle bearing plate number 600LVN used by the suspects, and the knife. The cellular phone was missing and most likely thrown away when they were pursued.
Lariosa in a brief interview with Matti Barangay Captain Ian Mar Escobarte vehemently denied taking the cellular phone of the victim. He alleged they were just coming from a beach in Digos City and heading home through the Tiguman road leading to Davao-Cotabato national highway.
He admitted seeing the woman along the road as they passed the area but did nothing to her which is contrary to the statement of the victim wherein she confessed that the suspects even searched her body for other valuable items.
They were placed under police custody while waiting for the filing of appropriate charges before the city prosecutor’s office.
