MALL HEIST SUSPECTS. The mugshots of the five suspects behind the robbery inside a mall in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental on Jan. 1, 2024 who carted jewelry and cash, amounting to PHP41.7 million. Police said an ongoing probe focuses on the masterminds. (Photos courtesy of Ozamiz City Police Station)
OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental – Police authorities are now in pursuit of a couple whom their five arrested accomplices are pointing to as the alleged masterminds of the PHP41.7-million mall robbery here on Jan. 1.
In a statement on Thursday, the suspects claimed they were only hired by the couple who reside in Barangay Baybay Triunfo here.
They said the couple, whose real identities remain unknown, staged the robbery “from planning to implementation” and are currently in possession of the bulk of cash and jewelry items that form part of the loot.
The Ozamiz City Police Station (OCPS) said three of the suspects - Alfred Gomez Baterna, Francis Joe Sayson Baterna, and Alberto Inlo Batulaso – are from the neighboring Tangub City.
The two others - Bryan Montealto and Ramel Apatan Villarumente – are both from Zamboanga del Norte province.
Police Maj. Dennis Tano, the OCPS officer-in-charge, said a tracker team is pursuing other robbery suspects.
“Barangay officials should always initiate profiling, especially on the renters of apartment and boarding houses," Tano said.
A police report said the suspects dug a tunnel from a nearby compound where a carnival was operating to enter the mall premises. One of the witnesses claimed that three of the suspects were also working in a local carnival.
Police records showed that the suspects were also previously involved in a series of robberies in their area.
Based on the affidavit inventory, one of the robbed jewelry stores said it had lost some PHP30 million worth of jewelry items and cash, amounting to PHP722,000.
The other jewelry store has not yet revealed the exact amount of its losses, and so with the cash stolen from a separate automated teller machine. (PNA)
