Sorsogon policemen seize P15M worth of jewelry from guard

By Danny Calleja

SORSOGON CITY—Some P15 million worth of assorted jewelry were recovered Sunday by the local police from a security guard who allegedly robbed the pawnshop where he was assigned in Pasig City on Saturday, the police said.

The suspect, identified as John Portugal Lagradilla, 31, of Renie Compound, barangay Santo Niño, Cainta, Rizal, who was employed as security guard by Penguard Security Agency and assigned with Piemonte Pawnshop on Santolan Road, Pasig City, was arrested by the local police in Matnog, Sorsogon.

Senior Insp. Perfecto Lovina, Matnog police chief, said Lagradilla was arressted for possession of a caliber .38 revolver, which was detected by an x-ray machine as he was about to board a roll-on, roll-off passenger ferry to Samar Sunday morning.

Largadilla attempted to escape upon sensing that the police were after him but he was cornered by barangay tanod brigade and officials at the nearby barangay Camcaman, whom Lovina said he alerted.

Lagradilla’s bag, where the gun was concealed, yielded more than 100 pieces of assorted jewelry, cash amounting to P38,850 and 10 pieces of $100 bills that he, during police interrogation, admitted had stolen from the pawnshop.

Upon receiving Lovina’s report on Sunday, Senior Supt. Henry Rañola, Sorsogon police commander, immediately coordinated with Senior Supt. Francisco Uyami, Pasig police chief, who confirmed the robbery.

The owners of the pawnshop were also informed, and early Monday the group, along with Pasig policemen, arrived at Camp Salvador Escudero Sr. police provincial headquarters, where the suspect and the recovered items were presented to them.

Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition charges have been filed against Lagradilla before the Sorsogon Prosecutor’s Office.

Lagradilla would be turned over to the Pasig police after inquest proceedings, Rañola said.

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