The Philippine National Police has ordered police regional offices in Luzon to review recent convenience store robberies for possible links to four suspects arrested after a heist in Trece Martires City, Cavite.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. issued the directive following the arrest of an Army corporal who was absent without official leave and three other suspects.

The four were arrested at around 3:40 a.m. on Thursday, 24 September, at a hotel in Barangay 8, Catanauan, Quezon, after being linked to the robbery of a DALI convenience store in Trece Martires City the previous day.

Investigators traced the suspects’ movements through CCTV footage and coordinated with Quezon police after receiving information about armed and suspicious men staying at the hotel.

Police said the suspects admitted their involvement in the Trece Martires robbery.

“We will look into how the group operated, where they obtained their firearms, and whether their actions were connected to other incidents. Any skills or training acquired in the service must never be used to harm the public or violate the law,” Nartatez said.

The PNP said the review would also look into whether the group had links to a series of store robberies previously recorded in Calabarzon and Metro Manila.

In March, police said four unidentified armed men had been linked to at least 17 robbery, holdup and theft incidents based on CCTV backtracking and other investigative work.

The group was allegedly behind robberies at four Alfamart stores in Antipolo, Teresa and Pililla in Rizal from 1 to 2 March.

Police also linked the group to earlier robberies involving 7-Eleven, Andok’s, Alfamart and Puregold branches in Pateros, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon.

Nartatez also ordered investigators to trace the source and ownership of firearms and explosives recovered from the suspects and determine whether the weapons had been used in previous crimes.

Recovered from the group were an M16 rifle, two .45-caliber pistols, a revolver, assorted magazines and ammunition, two rifle grenades, two live M203 grenade launcher rounds and a Nissan Terrano believed to have been used in the robbery.

“This arrest shows that coordinated police work and timely information-sharing can quickly bring offenders to justice. We assure the public that the PNP will continue to pursue criminals relentlessly and keep communities safe,” Nartatez said.

The suspects face robbery charges and violations of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and Republic Act 9516, which covers illegal possession of explosives.