By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

The Bacolod City government is now coordinating with the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) for the release of the P100,000 reward to informants in helping the arrest of the suspects who allegedly robbed a female doctor at her apartment in Bacolod City’s Barangay 19 on May 28.

Mayor Greg Gasataya said the BCPO made a commendable effort to arrest the two suspects in the robbery-holdup incident.

Gasataya said they will wait for BCPO director Police Colonel Eugene Rebadomia’s advice for the release of the bounty.

“If they receive precise information, we will coordinate with the BCPO to determine the appropriate manner for releasing the cash reward,” the mayor said.

For his part, Rebadomia said they are still waiting for the final report before releasing the cash reward to the informants.

“We are still evaluating the information to determine whether it qualifies for the reward, since the first operation was initiated entirely by the police,” he said.

Earlier, Rebadomia announced that Brigadier General Romano Cardiño, acting director of the Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region, offered a P100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects, and another P100,000 was offered by Gasataya.

The suspects in the robbery holdup incident — 27-year-old “Rem,” a resident of Barangay 40, and 32-year-old “Shaun” from Barangay Cabug — were arrested by operatives of Police Station 1 around 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 30.

“Shan” was also arrested hours later in Barangay Cabug on Sunday, May 31.

The suspects, who are detained at the custodial facility of Police Station 1, were positively identified by the victim.

Recovered from the suspects’ possession were a motorcycle and two cellular phones.

He added that robbery with violence or intimidation complaints were filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday against the suspects./MAP, WDJ