Su Sereno, Bohol Island News Staff | Posted on Oct. 21 at 11:00 p.m.
About P130-million worth of pieces of jewelry and cash were taken from the five establishments in a daring mall heist on Saturday evening in Mandaue City, Cebu.
Col. Ildebrandi Usana, deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office in Region 7, told reporters on Monday that the value of the looted items were based on estimates coming from the J Centre Mall management.
Five establishments including a money changer and jewelry stores were robbed by believed to be at least 15 armed men.
Of the 15, nine were arrested in a follow-up operation where they were intercepted at a port on Saturday evening while they were attempting to leave Cebu on board a RO-RO vessel in Bogo City.
However, four of them were killed when they wrestled with the police and attempted to get hold of their firearms while they were being transported from the port to Bogo City Police Station.
Those who were killed were identified as Kevin Andales, 25, Tangub City; Wilfredo Enguito, 47; Philip Taborada, and Glen Tairos.
One of the arrested men who was also wounded during the incident was identified as Arnel Cimafranca, also from Tangub City.
The other four arrested were Roel Sumingit, 35, and Julivy Quirante, 43, both from Tangub City; Jun Candelaria, 38, from Naga City; and James Gomez of Ozamis City.
For Col. Usana, he believed the men who committed the robbery were members of an Ozamis robbery group since these men would not hesitate to engage with the police.
Col. Usana added they are still looking for the whereabouts of the four other men who has the pieces of jewelry and other cash in their possession.
Those who were arrested on Saturday admitted to the crime and gave details about their other cohorts.
They are now the subject of a follow-up operation.
Meanwhile, Usana said the mall security guards are being considered as persons of interests in their investigation since they allowed the entry of the firearms inside the mall.