By Alexandria San Juan
The leader of a 'basag salamin' group and his five members were nabbed by the police inside their hideout in Marikina City Monday night, following series of complaints on broken car windows and lost belongings in Metro Manila.
National Capital Region Police Office Chief Guillermo Eleazar and Quezon City Police District Director Joselito Esquivel Jr. identified the suspects as Julius Batac, 25, leader of the Batac 'basag salamin' robbery group, and his members Elvin Duanan, 33; his uncle Rodelio Sibug, 52; his live-in partner, Rosana Mae Maramias, 20; Eugenia Argawanon, 34, and Harlan Requilman, 35.
(Pinterst / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a press conference at the QCPD Headquarters in Camp Karingal Tuesday, Eleazar said that the six suspects were the ones responsible in robbing a barangay executive officer Sunday evening.
Earlier reports showed that the victim, Benson Paras, 43, of Barangay Milagrosa, Quezon City parked his silver Toyota Innova in front of a hardware store along Katipunan Avenue corner Sunrise Street around 6:30 p.m., Sunday, and went to a nearby restaurant.
While inside the store, Paras noticed a suspicious-looking man peeping inside his vehicle.
Minutes later, he saw the man pick a stone and smash the window at the driver’s side prompting him to rush outside and get hold of the suspect.
However, two men riding a motorcycle suddenly arrived and at gunpoint, ordered Paras to release their companion.
The armed suspects also took the victim’s cell phone worth P10,000 and cash amounting to P2,000 before escaping towards Santolan Road.
Paras immediately reported the incident to the police.
Joint operatives of QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, QCPD-Project 4 Police Station (PS-8), and Marikina City Police Station conducted a follow-up operation around 1:30 a.m., Monday, after receiving an information about the hideout of the group in Barangay Tañong in Marikina City.
Police said that the suspects matched the description of the victim, as well as from the clip captured by a closed-ciruit television in the area, resulting in their arrest.
Upon the arrest, the suspects admitted that they were behind the series of 'basag salamin' in Metro Manila as well as in neighboring provinces of Bulacan, and Rizal.
Paras also positively identified Duanan and Requilman as the same persons who arrived on motorcycles and robbed his cash and cellphone.
Seized from the suspects were a Black Widow caliber 22 revolver, a sachet of suspected shabu, two Yamaha Mio motorcycles with plate number CA 89316 and motorcycle registration number 0401-0324688, one a red Euro motorcycle with motorcycle registration number 0301-0486366, several identification cards, laptops, bags, wallets, wrist watches, two helmets and other documents which were believed to have been stolen.
Senior Inspector Allan Dela Cruz, head of the QCPD-CIDU Theft and Robbery Section, said there are at least 19 cases of 'basag salamin' modus in Quezon City recently involving Batac's Group.
He added that Batac was previously arrested for the same modus and was just released from the Quezon City Jail last January 2018.
After his release, Dela Cruz said Batac already created a new 'basag salamin' group.
According to Dela Cruz, the two women acted as 'spotter' who were finding a parked vehicle to be victimized.
When they spotted an bag inside the car, they will alert their companions who would forcibly open the window, then stole the item.
Dela Cruz reminded the public to be aware of the 'basag salamin' modus aside from installing alarm devices in their vehicles.
"Do not give them the opportunity like you are inviting the suspects to rob you. Do not put items inside the vehicle within viewing from the outside, you are giving them the desire to commit crime," Dela Cruz explained.
He also pointed out poverty as one of the causes why people are turning into robbing to sustain their needs.
"Ang kahirapan ng tao, dalawang klase iyan kung bakit sila nagnankaw. Their greed and their needs. Kapag needs, may mapakain na sila, titigil na sila sa pagnanakaw. Pero yung greed, as long as kumikita sila ginagawa nila yun. So, mahirap talaga siyang tigilin," he added.
Meanwhile, Esquivel advised motorists to refrain from leaving their valuables inside the vehicles which may get the attention of these criminals.
The QCPD chief also called on other victims of 'basag salamin' modus to come to the CIDU in Camp Karingal, Quezon City and press more charges against the suspects.
Arrested suspects are now detained at the QCPD-CIDU and will be charged with robbery before the Quezon City Inquest Prosecutor.#
(Pinterst / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a press conference at the QCPD Headquarters in Camp Karingal Tuesday, Eleazar said that the six suspects were the ones responsible in robbing a barangay executive officer Sunday evening.
Earlier reports showed that the victim, Benson Paras, 43, of Barangay Milagrosa, Quezon City parked his silver Toyota Innova in front of a hardware store along Katipunan Avenue corner Sunrise Street around 6:30 p.m., Sunday, and went to a nearby restaurant.
While inside the store, Paras noticed a suspicious-looking man peeping inside his vehicle.
Minutes later, he saw the man pick a stone and smash the window at the driver’s side prompting him to rush outside and get hold of the suspect.
However, two men riding a motorcycle suddenly arrived and at gunpoint, ordered Paras to release their companion.
The armed suspects also took the victim’s cell phone worth P10,000 and cash amounting to P2,000 before escaping towards Santolan Road.
Paras immediately reported the incident to the police.
Joint operatives of QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, QCPD-Project 4 Police Station (PS-8), and Marikina City Police Station conducted a follow-up operation around 1:30 a.m., Monday, after receiving an information about the hideout of the group in Barangay Tañong in Marikina City.
Police said that the suspects matched the description of the victim, as well as from the clip captured by a closed-ciruit television in the area, resulting in their arrest.
Upon the arrest, the suspects admitted that they were behind the series of 'basag salamin' in Metro Manila as well as in neighboring provinces of Bulacan, and Rizal.
Paras also positively identified Duanan and Requilman as the same persons who arrived on motorcycles and robbed his cash and cellphone.
Seized from the suspects were a Black Widow caliber 22 revolver, a sachet of suspected shabu, two Yamaha Mio motorcycles with plate number CA 89316 and motorcycle registration number 0401-0324688, one a red Euro motorcycle with motorcycle registration number 0301-0486366, several identification cards, laptops, bags, wallets, wrist watches, two helmets and other documents which were believed to have been stolen.
Senior Inspector Allan Dela Cruz, head of the QCPD-CIDU Theft and Robbery Section, said there are at least 19 cases of 'basag salamin' modus in Quezon City recently involving Batac's Group.
He added that Batac was previously arrested for the same modus and was just released from the Quezon City Jail last January 2018.
After his release, Dela Cruz said Batac already created a new 'basag salamin' group.
According to Dela Cruz, the two women acted as 'spotter' who were finding a parked vehicle to be victimized.
When they spotted an bag inside the car, they will alert their companions who would forcibly open the window, then stole the item.
Dela Cruz reminded the public to be aware of the 'basag salamin' modus aside from installing alarm devices in their vehicles.
"Do not give them the opportunity like you are inviting the suspects to rob you. Do not put items inside the vehicle within viewing from the outside, you are giving them the desire to commit crime," Dela Cruz explained.
He also pointed out poverty as one of the causes why people are turning into robbing to sustain their needs.
"Ang kahirapan ng tao, dalawang klase iyan kung bakit sila nagnankaw. Their greed and their needs. Kapag needs, may mapakain na sila, titigil na sila sa pagnanakaw. Pero yung greed, as long as kumikita sila ginagawa nila yun. So, mahirap talaga siyang tigilin," he added.
Meanwhile, Esquivel advised motorists to refrain from leaving their valuables inside the vehicles which may get the attention of these criminals.
The QCPD chief also called on other victims of 'basag salamin' modus to come to the CIDU in Camp Karingal, Quezon City and press more charges against the suspects.
Arrested suspects are now detained at the QCPD-CIDU and will be charged with robbery before the Quezon City Inquest Prosecutor.#