A police captain was killed by fellow officers after robbing a convenience store in Marilao, Bulacan. Police Captain Ronnie Sarto fired at pursuing officers during his escape. Authorities are now investigating his possible links to a robbery syndicate.
On Monday, November 10, at around 7:31 pm, Police Captain Ronnie Sarto, 43, a resident of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, entered a convenience store in Barangay Santa Rosa I, Marilao. He wore a red hoodie, gray shorts, and slippers. Closed-circuit television footage showed him approaching the counter, posing as a customer, then drawing a handgun to declare a hold-up. He took P20,000 and fled on a motorcycle toward Barangay Loma de Gato.
The Marilao Police Station received a report at around 8:30 pm about the robbery. Officers launched a hot pursuit and spotted Sarto in the Heritage subdivision. According to the report, the suspect drew his firearm and fired at the police, who returned fire and hit him. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival at around 9:30 pm.
Sarto was the chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Section at the Caloocan City Police Station. The Central Luzon regional police office stated that the case is under investigation for possible links to a syndicate involved in a series of convenience store robberies across the region. This fits into broader scrutiny of police involvement in crimes, such as past cases of officers acting as bodyguards for kidnappers and drug-related links.
"The NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission) is hands-on as far as police integrity matters are concerned. This is a commitment we are making to the Filipino People, that we will do our jobs and we will do it well. Ang pulis ng pulis ay ang NAPOLCOM (The police’s police is NAPOLCOM)," Napolcom vice chairperson and executive officer Rafael Calinisan told Rappler.