In less than 24 hours, police cracked a nighttime heist at a commercial establishment in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, arresting one suspect and killing another in a gunfight on Wednesday.
The Police Regional Office 10 (PRO-10) reported that the robbery occurred at around 11:15 p.m. on September 1. The suspects breached the building by smashing a hole through the rear concrete wall, forcibly opened the vault, and fled with an estimated P60,000 in cash.
Investigators from the Ozamiz City Police Station quickly analyzed the crime scene and the CCTV footage, identifying the perpetrators as alias ‘Joe’ and alias ‘Boy,’ both residents of Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur.
Records revealed that ‘Joe’ has an existing arrest warrant for robbery under Criminal Case No. 2022-10-4516 in Zamboanga del Sur.
According to initial police findings, the duo are alleged members of the Pondoyo Robbery Group operating across Zamboanga del Sur and neighboring provinces.
Authorities also tied them to two earlier heists: one in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, in February 2026, and in Tudela, Misamis Occidental, on April 24, 2026.
Tracking the leads, operatives launched a hot pursuit operation and captured ‘Joe’ at his residence.
When police moved in on ‘Boy’s’ nearby home, the suspect allegedly opened fire with a .45 caliber pistol. Officers returned fire in self-defense, inflicting fatal gunshot wounds on ‘Boy,’ who was declared dead at the scene.
Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr., PRO-10 regional director, lauded the Ozamiz police force for swiftly resolving the case.
‘This accomplishment demonstrates the value of focused and intelligence-driven policing,’ Babagay said.
‘In less than 24 hours, our personnel developed vital leads, identified the suspects, and acted swiftly to place one of them under arrest. We will continue to pursue individuals and groups involved in robbery and other criminal activities through lawful and properly coordinated police operations,’ he added.
PRO-10 pointed out that the swift operation aligns with the agenda of the Philippine National Police leadership and directives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government to ramp up responsive anti-criminality campaigns.