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CEBU CITY, Philippines - The robbery group headed by Roy Fernandez, tagged in several high profile bank and pawnshop heists, is no ordinary group, a Cebu City police official said.
Senior Inspector Michael Bastes said Fernandez heads a group that operates nationwide.
Bastes, chief of the Cebu City Police Office’s Theft and Robbery Section, said Fernandez, 43, used various aliases – Yoyong, Yoyo, Kuya, Poyoy and Richard.
The ring leader is a native of San Jose town, on Dinagat Island but lives on Felix Street in Metro Manila.
Fernandez, who was arrested by Pasay police following a shootout on Saturday night, owns a Toyota Vios car, two Starex vans, a Hi-Ace van and a Honda Civic, Bastes said.
Fernandez also had various high-powered firearms including four baby Armalite rifles, a .45 caliber pistol and five revolvers.
Arrested with Fernandez were George Avila and Pascual Mata whose real name is Danilo Flores. His other companion, Albert Almedilla, was killed in the shootout.
Bastes said they would submit a supplemental information on the charges filed against the La Nueva robbery suspects to include Fernandez.
When Fernandez’ photo appeared on the Page 1 of Cebu Daily News on July 7, a witness came forward and identified him as one of the suspects in the armored van robbery at the La Nueva Supermart.
The police filed robbery with homicide and physical injury charges against Casemiro “Meloy” Garcia for the La Nueva robbery.
Garcia was a member of Fernandez’ group but later formed his own group.
Two members of Fernandez's group remained at large — John Niño Bugas, 25, of Lanao Del Norte and Leody Albano, 50, of Caloocan City.
A certain Ely alias Hapon of Sta. Ana, Manila and believed to be a driver of Fernandez is also being hunted down.
Bastes said Fernandez’ group was involved in bank robberies in Dasmariñas Cavite, Sta. Cruz, Manila and an armored van robbery in Montalban Rizal in 2003.
In 2005, Fernandez's group was tagged in the kidnap-for-ransom of Ryan Yu in Sta. Cruz Manila and another armored van robbery in Imus, Cavite.
The group allegedly pulled off another robbery in Pasay City where P14 million in payroll money was taken.
The tip came from Rodulfo Atega, a member of the group who was killed in 2006, a year after his older brother and fellow member, Harris, was killed.
Their relatives believed that Almedilla had Harris’ killed due to disagreement in the group.
Aside from the La Nueva robbery, the group was allegedly involved in several heists, including the Rural Bank in Minglanilla town and Metro Cebu Public Savings Bank on Natalio Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City.
Fernandez’ group used to be composed of Leopoldo Bongcales, the Atega brothers, Peter John Almedilla, James Agot, Joseph Moraga and Jaime Agot, all natives of Bohol.
Last year, Rodulfo Atega formed his own group later headed by Garcia. The members were Cresencio Reguya, Arsenio Polo, Joseph Moraga, Valentino Garcia, Gilven Nuez, Calerino Belcero and Danilo Flores.
In Cebu and Mandaue City, robberies supposedly perpetrated by Garcia's group including a lending firm, Ormoc Bank, Du Ek Sam Inc., a gasoline station on P. Del Rosario Street and Trucking Vic Enterprises.
The group also operated in Bohol and hit two banks, a store, among others.
