By Jennifer P. Rendon
Two teenage boys were arrested after they allegedly robbed a neighborhood sundry store in Arevalo, Iloilo City.
Police identified the suspects as alias Josh and alias KD, both 16 years old and residents of Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo.
According to spouses Christine Ellema, 38 and Ronald Ellema, 46, they lost around P21,700 to the suspects.
Ronald discovered the incident around 6:30 a.m. on Sept 5, 2022 as he was about to open their store.
He noticed that the window was already damaged.
The couple first reported the incident to village officials. Together, they conducted their own “social investigation.”
They eventually reported the robbery to the police by 10 a.m.
Major Chen Tañagras, Iloilo City Police Station 6 chief, said an informant tipped authorities that Josh was on a drinking spree with two others evening of Sept 5.
Tañagras said they invited the two minors for questioning.
They initially denied any participation in the crime.
But Josh eventually spilled the beans, claiming to have received P2,000 from the loot, but only surrendered P1,400.
He later identified his companions as KD and John Paul Gaballo, 27, also a resident of Calaparan village.
In a follow-up probe, KD also admitted to having taken part in the robbery and surrendered P3,000 of his P3,500 share.
Gaballo’s mother later led the police to her son’s room where he allegedly kept a bag full of coins.
Tañagras said the seized coins totaled P2,424.10.
The two arrested suspects have police records after they figured in a stabbing incident during a Simbang Gabi mass last year.
