4 more charged in RCBC robbery-massacre

MANILA, Philippines - Four more suspects in the grisly Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) robbery-massacre in Cabuyao, Laguna, were charged following the testimony of a man who admitted participation in the crime as a lookout. Included in the amended charge sheet were Crisanto Alvarez, the alleged lookout; Jake Javier and Jun Alvarez, both from Tanauan City in Batangas; and Eugenio Hilario of Calamba City, Laguna. The four are now in police custody, according to Sr. Insp. Pamela Helaga, spokesperson of the Calabarzon police. “According to the sworn statements of the witnesses, they possibly identified and saw (Crisanto) Alvarez outside the RCBC bank… standing near the terminal of the tricycle alone during the incident on May 16,” Helaga said. Ten people were killed in the grisly incident, dubbed as the worst case of bank robbery in the country. Alvarez had earlier surrendered to the police and even returned P26,000 that he said was part of his P400,000 share from the more than P12 million looted from the bank. Helaga said it was Alvarez who confirmed the participation of Montano Tolentino and Pepito Magsino to the RCBC robbery-massacre. Both Tolentino and Magsino were killed in separate shootouts with policemen in Calamba, Laguna, and Tanauan City, Batangas, respectively. Those who were earlier charged before the local court in relation with the incident were Jesus Narvaez Garcia, Joel Dela Cruz, Ricardo Gomolon Soledad, Danilo Letoquet, and Allan Bago. Of these, only Letoquet and Bago are still at large. Several other unidentified robbers, including a woman, were also included in the charge sheet. All the suspects are slapped with robbery with multiply homicide charges. - GMANews.TV