Witness fails to tag Torres in robbery

A prosecution witness yesterday failed to identify robbery suspect Ruel Torres as the man who took a bag with more than P800,000 cash from a PenBank cashier during a robbery last April 8 in barangay Bulacao, Talisay City.

Jenifer Bartilic was sitting behind the driver of the tricycle carrying bank cashier Laura Tan and bank guard Dindo Bermejo when they were stopped by men on a motorcycle.

Bartilic told Regional Trial Court Branch 5 judge Ireneo Lee Gako Jr. that he did not see the face of the robber as it was blocked by the tricycle's roof. He also said he only saw the face of Torres when he was identified by Tan and Bermejo as the one who took the bag from Tan.

Tan and Bermejo were tasked to deposit P854,000 cash to RCBC, a short distance away from PenBank. They said they did not bother to use an armored van as the journey would not take much time.

The two also said Torres was with two other men at the time.

Torres, who is now detained at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center for his numerous criminal cases, has denied being involved in this robbery. - Liv G. Campo