Theft charges were filed yesterday and Monday before the Bacolod City Prosecutors Office against seven suspected members of an organized crime group linked to the series of thefts at shopping malls all over the country, who were arrested in the city Monday and Sunday.

City Police Special Operations Group head, Supt. Santiago Rapiz, said the charges were filed yesterday against Mercy Derla, 39, Jhon Paul Palma, 24, Justine Pascual, 23, Jeffrey Longasa, 25 and Joana Torres, 24, all of Caloocan City, and Diana Rose Blanza, 18, of Pasig City.

On Monday, the management of Gaisano City mall also filed theft charges against their companion Antonio, De Luna, 20, also of Caloocan, who was arrested by the establishment’s guard Sunday for allegedly stealing several items at the department store, Rapiz said.

Someone is already processing bail for the suspects’, which is P24,000 each, and this indicates that they, indeed, have a financier, Rapiz added.

He said tha,t aside from Gaisano City and SM City malls’ representatives, those of Robinson’s mall also identified some of the items recovered from the suspects as theirs.

Rapis also said that they did not file bribery charges against Derla since the crime was not consummated.

The management of the pension house, where the six suspects who were arrested Monday, had sought police help after noticing their suspicious activities.

The suspects admitted that they stole several items from different malls in Bacolod and in Metro Manila and later sell their loot at lower price.

City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz said they will investigate the group’s alleged local contact that they identified as a certain “Arlene” from Santa Cruz, Murcia.

De la Paz will also meet with the management and security officers of the malls in Bacolod and brief them for the modus of this group so they will not be victimized.*APN

back to top