EIGHT days after the broad daylight robbery that occurred at a pawnshop on Illustre Street, Davao City, the suspect who was arrested revealed to the local media in an interview that “somebody tasked them with disturbing the peace in the city”.
Johnny Bulawan, from Leyte said during an interview on Thursday, March 6, 2025, that a person from Ozamiz, who bears an influential surname in the area, ordered them to rock the boat in Davao City.
“Samukon ang Davao… mao nay akoang nadunggan sa akoang mga [kauban] (Stir up trouble in Davao… that’s what I’ve heard from my [colleagues]),” he said smiling while detained in the cell.
He added that initially, he did not want to continue with the robbery, knowing that it would be done in Davao City, the place of former President Rodrigo Duterte. However, he was caught in a bind since he did not have money to go to Manila.
He said they arrived in Davao City in January and have been monitoring Hannah’s pawnshop due to its lax security. They returned to conduct the robbery in February 2025.
Bulawan was the one who was carrying the mallet and was seen in the video hammering the door down to get the jewelry. He said that he had conducted six robberies from LBC in other areas in the Philippines, and this was the first time he had done a robbery in Davao City.
DCPO: Tolentino Criminal gang responsible for heist
Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Director PCol. Hansel M. Marantan revealed in a press conference that the suspect is a member of the Tolentino Criminal gang linked to multiple robberies and theft incidents at LBC branches across the country.
“The suspects, they are members of the Tolentino Criminal gang, a splinter group of the notorious Ozamis Robbery Hold-up Group,” Marantan said during a media press conference.
According to DCPO, members of the gang include one Marvin “Tata” Beronguis, the leader of the group; alias Ramul and Takyo as the group’s financiers; Jimmy “Jerome” Calo, the driver of the getaway vehicle; Jade Lasula Dadang; alias Rodolfo; alias Jack; and some unidentified female and male members.
However, Bulawan refuted these claims, saying there was only a Tolentino gang in Parañaque and that he was only hired by Beronguis for this particular robbery.
Meanwhile, Marantan denied that the police took a long time to respond, as it only took one minute for police personnel to arrive in the area.
The pawnshop owner alleged that they arrived earlier than the police when they came from the Juna Subdivision, whereas the police station is only in San Pedro Street.
DCPO said that the suspects would be facing cases of robbery in band, violation of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, and violation of the Republic Act No. 10591 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Bulawan’s case is non-bailable.
Marantan also admitted that police authorities have shortcomings in upholding the safety and security in the city, hence, they are coordinating with the other uniformed personnel to prevent this incident from happening again.
He said they are coordinating with the City Government of Davao in upholding peace and security, adding that the incident is not scripted and is not politically motivated. He added that as the city director, he is not serving anyone and that he is here to protect all of the Dabawenyos.
The city director further said that they will fast-track the issuance of the warrant of arrest against the remaining suspects, the inclusion of the suspects in the DILG Most Wanted List, and increase the reward for any information about the suspect.
Lawyer Arczft Ran Z. Fuentes, representative of the pawnshop and associate lawyer at Leonald Law Office, said the evidence that they have is strong enough to convict Bulawan; however, there are ongoing talks on giving him a witness protection program to make him a state witness.
“Kung madakpan nila ang mga nabilin that would be very good of course we would be amenable to do that. However, kung wala silay madakpan possibly all evidence would be targeted against Johnny Bulawan,” he said.
Fuentes said that the pawnshop, which has not yet operated since the heist, is conducting an audit on the whole list that was taken by the criminals. He hopes that by next week or a week after, the pawnshop will resume operation.
He added that despite the workers undergoing therapy, they are still compensated, and the medical fees of the guards that were injured during the robbery incident were shouldered by the owners of the pawnshops.
The pawnshop owners revealed that more or less nine workers are hesitant to go back to work due to the trauma that they have endured during the incident. They said that the workers had undergone therapy on Monday.
Fuentes said that his client, following the incident, will tighten their security and lessen the displays at the pawnshop so that it would not attract robbers.
The broad daylight pawnshop robbery occurred on February 26, 2025, and valuables estimated to be worth between P40 million and P100 million were carted away by the robbers.
In the DCPO progress report, the getaway vehicle was already discovered along the Butuan City-Cagayan de Oro national highway at Purok 1, Barangay 24-A, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental. The vehicle is then brought to the San Pedro Police Station for custody and verification.
Earlier, Marantan refuted online rumors claiming that the jewelry heist was orchestrated to damage Davao City’s reputation as part or a part of a Simulation Exercise (Simex), which is a drill that is intended to access emergency response.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor “Sebastian” Baste Duterte said during the Basta Dabawenyo podcast that he will remain unbiased and objective in the recent robbery heist incident. However, he did not discount that the suspect that was apprehended was brought to Davao City to carry out the job. RGP
Related stories:
