BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ANTIQUE – In Hamtic town, a variety store was burglarized in Barangay Buhang.
Through the store’s security cameras, cops identified the suspects as Danny Espartero, a 45-year-old unemployed man from Barangay Guinbanga-an, Laua-an, Antique, and Rene Villanueva, a 38-year-old also unemployed man from Barangay Singcang, Bacolod City.
Corazon Mabaquiao, 43, owned the store. Police Master Sergeant Mar Joepet Jallorina reported that on the evening of April 3, Mabaquiao personally reported to the Hamtic police station that two men entered her store and stole six packs of cigarettes, valued at P10,000.
Espartero was subsequently arrested but in a drug buy-bust operation carried out by the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit and the San Jose municipal police station. He admitted to taking only two packs of cigarettes, contrary to the initially reported six. He also disclosed that he had sold the stolen cigarette packs to small vendors in San Jose.
The other suspect, Rene Villanueva, remains at large.
Espartero is facing charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, in addition to theft charges filed by Mabaquiao.
Espartero was previously apprehended for stealing from a store in Barangay Malandog, Hamtic, according to police records./PN
