Parañaque mall rob gang linked to Pampanga heist

The gang that staged a bloody armored-van robbery try at the ShoeMart (SM) Sucat mall in Parañaque City last Monday could also be behind an attempt to rob an armored van at another SM mall in Pampanga in 2005. Superintendent Ronald Estiles, Parañaque City police director, said Tuesday that initial witness testimonies indicated that the Ampang-Colangco Group was behind Monday's incident. "Nahuli sila (two) years ago sa SM Pampanga pero on bail (They were caught two years ago at SM Pampanga but they are out on bail)," Estiles said in an interview on dzRH radio. He said the gang members identified through a picture gallery included leader Roy Gilbert Colangco, Roy Noquiao, Jim Mendoza and Bobby Baliber. "He has a standing warrant for his arrest," Estiles said of Colangco. However, he admitted they have yet to determine if the robbers managed to take cash from the armored van, and if so, how much. He said the teller of Banco de Oro was among those wounded in the incident. He said they have not been able to talk to the teller as of late Monday. A Sun-Star report in 2005 said the Ampang-Colangco group is considered one of the biggest robbery/hold-up syndicates operating in Central and Southern Luzon, and principally targets Banco de Oro outlets. It uses 25 to 30 members for each operation, and had been linked to past bank robberies at the SM Southmall in Las Piñas, SM City in North Edsa in Quezon City. Estiles also said they have traced the ownership of the two Toyota Corolla sedans used by the suspects in Monday's robbery attempt. At least two bank guards were killed while five others, including a 12-year-old boy, were wounded after 15 armed men tried to rob an armored van at the SM Sucat mall Monday. The robbers fired on the guards of Banco de Oro who were watching over the armored van. Killed were guards John Ray Awacay and Felizardo Castillo. Witnesses identified at least one of the suspects as Bobby Baliber, who allegedly has standing warrants of arrest for murder and robbery. Initial investigation showed the robbers carried M-16 and Armalite rifles and 9-mm. pistols. They arrived at the mall on board a red Toyota Corolla (plate TNK-405) and a gray Toyota Corolla (TKN-641). The two cars were abandoned Monday afternoon in Gatchalian Subdivision in Las Piñas City. In 2005, police arrested nine suspected members of the Ampang-Colangco Gang at the SM City in San Fernando City in Pampanga. Charged were Noquiao, Leonardo Tabasan, Crispin Bongolo, Dolphy Cochoco, Michael Damolo, Edgar Ibañez, Edwin Ayop, Analy Cabigion, and Jenevie Calundo, all of Bohol and Davao City. The suspects at the time were planning to break into the Banco de Oro branch inside the mall. They were charged for illegal possession of firearms. Confiscated from the group were a Kia Besta van (WDX-164), a Tamaraw FX (WDE-433), a Toyota Corolla (TNY-470), and a Mitsubishi Lancer GLX (PLZ-237); five M-16 rifles and two cal-.45 pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. The operating team also recovered three abandoned vehicles, including a Nissan Super Saloon (WDE-934), and two Toyota Corollas (TFW-615 and TFP-439) at Kilometer 61 along the North-Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in San Simon town in Pampanga. - GMANews.TV