CAGAYAN de Oro City — A robbery suspect was arrested while his alleged accomplice was killed in a police encounter less than 24 hours after a commercial establishment in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, was robbed of an estimated P60,000, police said.
The Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10) said the two suspects were allegedly members of the Pondoyo Robbery Group, which reportedly operates in Zamboanga del Sur and nearby areas.
The robbery happened at about 11:15 p.m. on September 1, when the suspects allegedly broke through a rear concrete wall of the establishment, forcibly opened its vault and took the cash.
Crime scene processing and CCTV footage led investigators to identify the suspects as aliases “Joe” and “Boy,” both residents of Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur.
Police said “Joe” also had a standing arrest warrant for robbery in Zamboanga del Sur under Criminal Case No. 2022-10-4516.
Investigators are also checking the suspects’ possible links to earlier robberies involving the same commercial establishment.
PRO-10 said the two were identified as suspects in the robbery of the establishment’s Gingoog City branch in February 2026 and its Tudela, Misamis Occidental branch on April 24, 2026.
Acting on information gathered during the investigation, Ozamiz City police launched a hot-pursuit operation and arrested “Joe” at his residence.
Police then proceeded to the nearby residence of “Boy,” who allegedly fired at the approaching officers using a caliber .45 pistol.
Police said officers returned fire, hitting the suspect. He sustained gunshot wounds and was later declared dead.
The arrested suspect is expected to face robbery charges over the Ozamiz incident and a possible violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, over the alleged possession of the pistol.
Police Major Joan Navarro, PRO-10 spokesperson, said investigators are still validating the group’s possible involvement in other robbery cases in Region 10.
“Kamulo pa ug gina-validate ug unsa pay ilang laing involvement,” Navarro told the Mindanao Gold Star, adding that police have found evidence linking the suspects to robberies involving the same branch and a similar modus operandi.
Navarro said the investigation would also determine whether the group had other members and whether they were involved in additional cases in the region.
PRO-10 Regional Director PBGen Nestor C. Babagay Jr. commended Ozamiz police for the swift investigation and hot-pursuit operation.
Babagay said the operation underscored the importance of focused and intelligence-driven policing in addressing robbery and other criminal activities.
Police continue to investigate the suspects’ possible links to other robbery incidents in Northern Mindanao and neighboring areas.
