BORONGAN CITY — Operatives from Eastern Samar Criminal Investigation and Detection Group arrested a long-time driver of the Department of Education regional office for theft after he was captured on camera stealing money from the car of an Eastern Samar provincial official.
The suspect, identified as Nieto Yerro, was arrested after a hot pursuit operation in Paranas, Samar in the presence of his superiors from DepEd-8 while they were on their way back to Tacloban City from Borongan City last 27 September.
Yerro — who has been a driver and regular employee of DepEd-8 for 21 years — voluntarily surrendered and admitted to committing the crime to the authorities. He also surrendered the remaining money amounting to P52,500 out of the P84,500 that he took.
Police said that the incident happened on Monday at the parking lot of Melinda’s Resort and Restaurant, where the provincial board was having a committee meeting.
On the same venue, the Regional Field Technical Assistance Composite Team from DepEd-8 was also having a conference with schools divisions of Borongan City and Eastern Samar.
Reports said that the money belonged to Franklin Robedizo, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan secretary of Eastern Samar, who was attending the provincial board committee meeting.
Robedizo said the money was just loaned from a cooperative and was intended for the school fees of his children.
Yerro was captured on CCTV opening Robedizo’s car and taking something from the vehicle. Robedizo said the CCTV footage was also corroborated by a witness who saw the suspect opening the vehicle.