NCRPO: Police captain’s money woes behind Bulacan robbery

Staggering debt may have driven a police captain assigned to Caloocan City to allegedly rob a convenience store in Marilao, Bulacan – a crime that eventually caused him to lose his life, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said.

In Mariz Umali’s report in “24 Oras” on Wednesday, NCRPO spokesperson Major Hazel Asilo said they are looking at the slain police official’s money problems as a motive for the robbery.

“Mayroon silang previous na business na nalugi nung time ng pandemic. So ‘yun ‘yung possible na reason kung bakit nagkaroon siya ng pagkagipit sa pera. Ano na siya, sagad na siya sa loan,” Asilo said.

(They had a previous business that went bankrupt during the pandemic. That could be the possible reason why they experienced financial difficulties. He already maxed out on his loans.)

Police Colonel Angel Garcillano, director of the Bulacan Provincial Police Office (PPO), said they are sure that the slain suspect is the same one who robbed the convenience store based on evidence.

Authorities recovered P20,000 worth of robbed money, the cashier’s handwritten notes, the suspect’s motorcycle, a red jacket that he wore during the robbery, a police ID, and the service firearm that he allegedly used in the shootout.

Police also talked to the suspect’s wife in the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan but did not give further details.

Garcillano added that the motorcycle was under the suspect’s name.

“We have the affidavit of the crew ng convenience store. And let me inform everybody na noon pong nagkaroon ng dragnet operation, ‘yun pong crew ng convenience store was present inside the patrol car. So kasama po siya. Kaya po nung nag-overtake po ‘yung motor ng suspect at ‘yung suspect, ‘yun po ‘yung time na sinabi ng biktima, ‘yung crew, na ito po ‘yun,” Garcillano said.

(We have the affidavit of the crew of the convenience store. And let me inform everybody that during the dragnet operation, the crew was inside the patrol car and confirmed the identity of the suspect.)

The suspect died in a shootout with lawmen during a follow-up operation after the robbery.

The NCRPO said the suspect had no derogatory record as far as they are concerned. However, their files do not cover the cases being investigated by the Bulacan PPO that may have involved the suspect.

“Mayroon pong mga similar activities involving the same person. Ito po ay sa part ng Marilao, part ng sa boundary ng San Jose Del Monte and part ng Meycauayan. Coffee shops, may mga gasoline stations at ‘yun nga po yung convenience store,” Garcillano said.

(There are similar activities involving the same person in areas within Marilao, near the boundary of San Jose del Monte, and in Meycauayan, targeting establishments such as coffee shops, gasoline stations, and a convenience store.)

GMA Integrated News is reaching out to the suspect’s family for comment. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/JMA, GMA Integrated News