Police on Sunday arrested three men allegedly behind the robbery of lending group members in Danao town.

The three suspects identified as Marjon Mesa, 35; his nephew Robin Celes, 23; and Mark John Ramos, 22, were arrested separately during hot pursuit operations conducted three days after the robbery, said Senior Master Sgt. Felix Salvidar of the Danao Police Station.

Mesa and Ramos were arrested in Inabanga while Celes was collared in Alicia.

According to Salvidar, the three men robbed members of the ASA Philippines Foundation, Inc. at a house of one of the group’s members in Danao on November 7 and carted away P32,000 cash.

The members gave them the money out of fear as the suspects held one of the members, Mar Gardoza, at gunpoint.

Salvidar said that Gardoza and one Lenith Laping who was also inside the room during the robbery were later able to identify the suspects as Mesa’s wife is a member of ASA.

“Everytime na mo bayad ni siya [Mesa] sa ilang weekly debt, mag-uban ni silang tulo [Celes and Ramos] sa maong lugar,” he added. “Ang ilang gisuot sa ilang nawng nipison na tela mao na familiar g’yud ang naw’ng…Naka-recognize ang duha ka [biktima] labina na tong natiunan kay nag-face to face man silang duha,” he said.

Meanwhile, investigators have yet to determine whether or not the three men are part of the Torregosa Robbery Group which has allegedly been behind a series of robberies in Bohol particularly in the second district in the past few weeks.

“Dili pa ta confirm og membro ni sila pero so far, base sa among intel sila ra g’yung grupoha way laing kauban,” said Salividar.

Virgelio Torregosa, the Torregosa Robbery Group’s alleged leader, was arrested last week in Getafe for gun charges.

An alleged member of the group, Laurencio Racal, Jr. was shot dead on Sunday afternoon by still unidentified assailants at a cockpit arena also in Getafe. (A. Doydora)