DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/6 Mar) — At least eight former splinter members of the notorious Ozamiz Robbery-Holdup Group were behind the Hannah’s Pawnshop & Jewelry robbery in Ilustre Street here last Feb. 26, police said. Col. Hansel Marantan, acting city police director, stated in a press conference at the Davao City Police Office Thursday afternoon that the Tolentino Criminal Gang, a group formed by former Ozamiz Group members, planned the operation as early as December 2024. Marantan revealed that the suspects carted away ₱40 million worth of jewelry during the broad daylight robbery. Among the eight suspects, only Johnny Bulawan, who admitted to using a sledgehammer to destroy jewelry containers, was arrested. Marantan identified Marvin “Tata” Beronguis as the robbery’s leader, with six others—Jimmy “Jerome” Calo, Jade Lasula Dadang, a certain “Rodolfo,” alias “Jack,” an unidentified female, and an unidentified male—still at large. The police alleged the suspects might have been under drug influence during the robbery, describing them as “monsters at that time.” Bulawan met Beronguis in Argao, Cebu, in December 2024, and later met Calo in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, to plan the robbery. The actual “casing” occurred in mid-January 2025, with the suspects driving from Gingoog to Davao City. Calo, Bulawan, and “Jack” arrived in Davao on Feb. 25, while Dadang arrived separately. The group stayed overnight at Twin H Inn and Jackbell Inn before robbing the pawnshop on Feb. 26. Bulawan, jailed at the DCPO headquarters, claimed they targeted the pawnshop due to its lax security and aimed to “create chaos” in the city, admitting he couldn’t back out because he lacked fare to return home. Marantan linked the suspects to the Ozamiz Group, known for its involvement in armed robberies, drug trafficking, and organized crimes, though he noted the group lacks centralized leadership since the death of its former leader, Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, in 2017. Despite social media criticism of the police’s delayed response, Marantan claimed they responded “within one minute,” a statement contested by a pawnshop representative, who arrived ahead of the police. Marantan admitted their response was “imperfect” but emphasized Davao City remains “very safe.” He also acknowledged a lack of direct coordination with Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, instead communicating through the Public Safety and Security Office head, Angel Sumagaysay. Mayor Duterte suggested the robbery might have been staged for a reward and criticized the Marcos administration and PNP for being “lenient on criminals.” Marantan, however, asserted he is “no politician’s police” but “a police of the people,” committed to protecting Dabawenyos. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
