By Jennifer P. Rendon
A young businessman was arrested hours after he allegedly robbed the motorcycle shop owned by a relative at Barangay Poblacion West, Oton, Iloilo.
John Paolo Hermano, 23, was nabbed at his house in Barangay Binangkilan, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.
Captain Beverly Cataluña, Oton deputy police chief, said Hermano we still sleeping when police knocked on their door around 10 a.m. Tuesday.
“He was initially surprised upon seeing us. We went through the usual. We asked him what was he doing at the motorcycle shop in Oton at around 2 a.m. of that day,” Cataluña said.
At the onset, she said that police investigators were already convinced that Hermano was behind the heist based on evidence and testimonies they gathered.
It didn’t take long for the suspect to admit that he burglarized the motorcycle shop owned by his cousin, Alexander Pelobello of Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Hermano, who also owns a bike shop in Sta. Barbara town, led the cops to the stolen office vault.
He failed to open the vault because he could not crack the number combination.
When it was opened, the vault contained cash of P456,058 and a caliber .40 Smith and Wesson pistol.
According to reports, the robbery was discovered around 6:20 a.m. Tuesday when two helpers of Alexis Cycle Parts reported for work.
They found that the padlock of the store’s roll-up door was destroyed with a bolt cutter.
It was initially reported that the cash taken was P600,000.
Following the incident, Cataluña said they went through CCTV cameras in the area.
At around 2 a.m., the cameras captured a red Hyundai Eon hatchback.
The car passed by the cycle parts store and stopped around 100 meters from the store.
A man went out of the driver’s side and walked towards the store.
Cataluña said there was no CCTV camera that directly captured the front of the store.
Moments later, the driver went back and boarded the car.
It was believed that he just circled the area and took something from the store.
Cataluña said barangay tanods also saw Hermano near the store at around the same time.
According to Pellobello’s sister, the suspect went to their store a day before the incident and ordered cycle parts.
When investigators asked why he robbed his own relative, the suspect allegedly claimed he needed money to settle some debts.
Cataluña said a case for robbery is now being readied against Hermano.
