Charges for robbery-in-band are now being readied against 12 suspects the in the hold-up of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative where P3.6 million in cash, set to be picked up by an armored vehicle for bank deposit, was taken Friday.

Bacolod City Police Special Operations Task Group head, Supt. Santiago Rapiz, said the charges will be filed against Reynaldo Bacolod “alias Toto,” “Jay Mira” of Las Piñas City, Joseph Calarmo and ten “John Does”.

On Monday, the Bacolod City Police released the pictures of the suspects captured by the closed circuit television cameras of their rented place in Bacolod City, that had served as their hideout since February 27.

City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz sent Station 4 commander, Supt. Leonardo Borromeo to Iloilo City yesterday following the arrest of two men on a motorcycle carrying P316,000 as they could be members of the group that robbed CENECO.

Borromeo, however, told the DAILY STAR that the two are not part of the CENECO robbery.

Rapiz said they are preparing the documents for the filing of charges against the suspects and that they have at least five witnesses to strengthen the case.

Investigation showed that Bacolod is also involved in the robbery of Prudential Bank on February 14, 2003 and of the Equitable-PCI Bank in Parañaque City on February 23, 2003 and is also believed to be behind the robbery of Eastwest Bank in Iloilo City in January 2010, where P13 million in cash was taken.

De la Paz said the group that robbed CENECO also planned to rob one of the branches of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in Bacolod City, but this did not push through.

Rapiz said they are also looking into the involvements of the owners of the two motorcycles and the hi-lux vehicle used by the suspects as get-away vehicle after they robbed the electric firm.*APN

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