Suspects in highway robbery incidents in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, are getting bolder because the victims are not interested to file charges against them, Cauayan police chief, Chief Inspector Romeo Leyte, said.

Leye said the four suspects who recently robbed two salesmen of the Bacolod Columbia Marketing Inc. of P200,000 at gunpoint, were also reported to have been involved in numerous highway robbery incidents in the town.

Police investigations showed that the delivery van driven by Joemarie Sayasan, with salesmen Julian Verde and Jinnie de la Pena as his passengers, was waylaid by the four suspects, who were on board two motorcycles along the highway of Brgy. Lina-on, Cauayan on Jan. 21.

Leyte said they have already established the identities of two of the four highway robbers, through the help of witnesses.

However, he said, they cannot arrest the identified highway robbers, since no arrest warrant have been issued against them.

Leyte encouraged the latest victims of highway robbery to visit the Cauayan Police Station, and execute sworn affidavits, that are needed in filing charges against the suspects.

At least 16 highway robbery incidents have taken place along the 60-kilometer stretch of Cauayan for several years now, police records show.

Police outposts were established earlier along the highway of Brgy. Bulata and Inayawan, Cauayan, where the series of robbery incidents had taken place.

This prompted the highway robbers to transfer their operations to other areas of Cauayan.

Leyte said he is scheduled to meet with Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara and Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, provincial police director, to discuss the possibility of creating another police outpost in the town. *GPB

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