Mine firm gives P100K to cops for nabbing heist boss

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Lepanto Consolidated Mining Corporation (LCMC) turned over a check worth P100,000 to the La Trinidad Police Office after the latter and other police operatives succeeded in arresting the leader of the group that robbed gold bars from the company and killed six people in 2001.

La Trinidad is the capital town of Benguet.

            

Senior Supt. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., provincial police director, received the check in behalf of the La Trinidad police office on Monday.

Azurin said the amount was a commitment of the company to the local police. “As promised in 2003, Lepanto Mines turned over the amount as reward for the police operatives,” he said.

The fugitive identified as Agustin Pallatao Quebang, of Barangay Paalaban, Mankayan, and leader of the group was wanted for robbery with multiple homicide. 

Quebang had a P300,00 bounty on his head and wanted for the violent heist of 21 kilos of gold at the LCMC compound in Mankayan, Benguet in 2001 who participated in killing five employees, four security guards and an engineer that time.

He was nabbed early this month in Isabela City, Basilan by a tracker police team from the Cordillera and their counterparts in Region 9.

       

Quebang, in the regional police’s most wanted person list, was with his group when they held up employees of the mining company whom they reportedly shot which resulted to their death.

          

Quebang and his group had taken 21kilos of gold bars from the LMCC while being transported to a small plane in 2001 killing the victims and  taking with them two M16 rifles as they ran.

Following his capture, Quebang was brought to Isabela City police headquarters before he was brought to the local court in Mankayan headed by Judge Agapito Laoagan who issued the warrant for his arrest. 

        

Lawmen who arrested Quebang included members of Benguet Provincial Police office, La Trinidad municipal police station, Isabela City police, Basilan R2-Police Regional Office 9, ISG and Philippine Army.

        

Cordillera regional police director Chief Supt. Benjamin B. Magalong and Benguet police chief congratulated their men who participated in tracking and arresting the suspect.