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CEBU CITY, Philippines - His claim of being a minor may have saved him from arrest had he not celebrated his 18th birthday just 11 days ago.
But now that he is considered an adult, Joseph Cataraja will be tried as an adult for allegedly trying to steal at gunpoint the tote bag of a 24-year-old woman and for allegedly shooting a man who tried to stop him from pulling off the gutsy daylight robbery on Tuesday morning on A.C. Cortes Street, Mandaue City.
Shortly after his arrest, Cataraja told police that he was 17 years old, said Senior Police Officer 1 Arnulfo Quiachon of the Mandaue City police. But it was proven later, through contact with the suspect's family, that he had just celebrated his 18th birthday on May 8.
Based on witness accounts and Catajara?s own confession, police pieced together what happened.
Armed with a .357 revolver, Cataraja grabbed the bag of Hannah Marie Apostol on Tuesday at around 9 a.m. near the Prince Warehouse Club on A.C. Cortes, said Quiachon, an investigator with the Mandaue City Police Office's (MCPO) Investigation and Detection Management Bureau.
Apostol, an employee of Black Panda Travel and Tours, shouted for help while she and the suspect grappled for her bag. Cataraja then pulled out his gun and also punched Apostol, forcing her to let go.
Cataraja then ran off towards S.B. Cabahug Street, but Apostol followed, continuing to shout for help.
Her pleas were heard by Jonathan Osa, 24, who tried to block Cataraja?s way.
Cataraja then shot Osa, who was job-hunting in Mandaue City. The bullet grazed Osa's right arm and went on to hit construction worker Romulo Magdoza, 31, who was tending gravel at a construction site.
Seeing a public utility jeepney (PUJ) parked nearby, Cataraja threatened the driver at gunpoint and ordered him to drive off.
When the PUJ arrived at Super Metro Mandaue, the suspect disembarked and jumped a fence into a vacant lot nearby. There, members of the city police?s Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team cornered him.
The Swat was alerted to Cataraja?s whereabouts by traffic enforcers who witnessed Cataraja?s actions.
During interrogation, Cataraja told police he was 17 years old. This prompted police to forgo filing charges against him.
The suspect said he committed the crime because he needed money to finance the hospitalization of his pregnant girlfriend, who would be giving birth soon.
?We gave him the benefit of the doubt as to what he told us was his age,? said the police officer.
Later, Cataraja asked for a favor from a policeman to allow him to use the cop?s cellular phone to send a text message to his brother. The cop allowed the suspect to do so. When Cataraja returned the cellular phone, policemen called up the phone number that Cataraja sent the text message. The suspect's step brother, Junvel Villamor, answered and confirmed that Cataraja was born on May 8, 1990, making him 18, an adult.
Had the suspect been a minor, the Juvenile Justice Law would have protected him and prevented charges from being filed against him.
Items recovered from the suspect included Apostol's digital camera, two Nokia cellular phones and P500 cash.
Also recovered from Cataraja was a .357 revolver, loaded with five live .38 caliber rounds, which are oversized for the size of the gun used.
Police are preparing to file a case of serious physical injuries against Cataraja as soon as all victims and witnesses file their affidavits.
Senior Superintendent Rodel Calungsud, director of the MCPO, said the robbery was an isolated case. He assured that the city was safe since police have increased their visibility with the arrival of around 100 field training personnel.
?We have even implemented anti-bank robbery measures, like linkages with bank security officers and conferences with bank managers,? Calungsud said.
