Rob suspect held

Checkpoint in Talibon bags culprit who's on the way to Cebu City

One of the suspects in the celebrated Unitop and First Consolidated Bank (FCB) hold-ups was arrested while fleeing the scene of another hold-up in Talibon. The suspect was identified as one Joseph Moraga alias Barodog, 23, single, jobless and a native of San Isidro , San Miguel town. Moraga was arrested in San Jose , Talibon town. The suspect, who was riding a motorcycle, was nabbed near a gasoline station that was just victimized by hold-uppers. According to Senior Insp. Alex de la Serna, responding policemen had monitored the presence of Moraga from San Miguel to Tubigon town. Moraga intended to go to Cebu after hitting the gasoline station owned by Judge Avelino Puracan in Talibon. Moraga yielded a caliber .38 revolver with a live bullet and a hand grenade. The suspect tried to flee when policemen accosted him but he was overpowered.

De la Serna said Moraga was a key player in the hold-up of the Unitop cashier that resulted in the death of the security escort as well as the hold-up of newly withdrawn cash from FCB. As this developed, Moraga named the other members of the gang that pulled off the celebrated hold-ups that rocked Tagbilaran more than a month ago. In an extrajudicial confession taken by SPO3 Alberto Puagang at the Tagbilaran PNP station last Feb. 23, Moraga detailed his participation in the two major capers. Assisted by counsel Isabelo Digaum, Moraga identified the other suspects as the late Harris Atega of Poblacion, San Miguel, Albert Almedilla of San Jose, San Miguel, Casimiro Garcia of Magsaysay, Talibon and Ruben Raotraot of Owac, Bilar. Moraga said he knew the four personalities were involved because he was part of the group that hatched the plan a day before the Unitop hold-up last Dec. 28, 2006. He said it was Atega and Almedilla who called him on his cellular phone on Dec. 27 and instructed him to proceed to Tagbilaran. Moraga said that he proceeded to a coffee bar in a mall in Dao where Atega, Almedilla and Raotraot were waiting for him. He said Almedilla told him that Raotraot was their insider to Unitop. From there, the group proceeded to Unitop and went to a lodge where Garcia was waiting for them.

On the next day, Moraga said he served as lookout while Almedilla and Atega waited near the traffic light at the corner of CPG Ave. and M. H. del Pilar St. Garcia was posted with a motorcycle near PMI Colleges. At 10:43 , a female employee of Unitop accompanied by a security guard emerged from the establishment. While Garcia started the engine of the motorcycle, Moraga said he heard the sound of gunfire and saw Almedilla and Atega running a few meters before riding on the motorcycle. Moraga said he and Raotraot who acted as lookouts swiftly withdrew.

In his statement, Moraga said he met Raotraot while he was still working in Malate as a waiter. He said Raotraot went to see him with Atega and Almedilla who worked for a certain Roy Fernandez. Moraga claimed he received only P20,000 for his role in the Unitop hold-up. Atega was killed in a shootout in Cebu City. Moraga said Garcia is in Cebu while Almedilla is with his boss Fernandez. He said he was not aware of Raotraot's whereabouts. Raotraot was implicated by Mayor Dan Lim days after the Unitop and FCB hold-up but the former vehemently denied his participation. Lim said Raotraot's role was confirmed to him by his sources, prompting the mayor to withdraw the case filed against suspects Ian Bautista and Michael Lao so Raotraot would be included. The mayor had dangled a P100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Bautista and Lao but the two have remained at large

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