Firm caters mainly to policemen Cop eyed in robbery-slay of lender, clerk

Just two days after a former governor of Biliran was shot dead by a lone gunman in Cebu City, another sensational killing shattered the relative morning calm of the metropolis when a robber shot dead the owner and secretary of a money-lending firm that caters mostly to policemen.

The robber took an undetermined amount of cash from PRH Lending Investment located at Door 3 of the Federal North Bldg. on T. Padilla Street Extension in barangay Tejero.

Pilar Hernandez, 61, owner of the firm, and Wevina Pancho,55, her secretary, failed to survive the gunshot wounds they sustained on the head and chest. They were taken to the Velez General Hospital but their wounds proved fatal.

Police suspect that the attacker was known to the victims because he was apparently allowed to get in, the door being controlled by an electronic lock from the inside.

The lending firm caters mainly to policemen. The only civilians the firm does business with are those that are personally known to the ownersw.

Cebu City police chief Melvin Gayotin said the weapon apparently used in the killing also indicated that the gunman could be a policeman. He, however, refused to elaborate.

At least five empty shells from a 9 mm pistol were recovered from the scene.

Hernandez who is leaving in San Antono Village in barangay Banilad this city owned the PRH Lending Investment Inc. and operated the firm long time ago.

Police homicide investigator Zenaido Pastorfide said two policemen, Jessie Yramis of the San Nicolas police and Jaime Abellana of the Talisay City police, were the ones who accidentally came upon the gruesome scene.

The two policemen went to the lending firm to apply for a loan but stopped at the door on seeing a sign that said " Please Come Back Monday. We Are On Inventory. "

Nevertheless, the two decided to plead with Hernandez since she knew them well. Peeping through the tinted glass, they could see Hernanez facing left and Pancho seemingly hunched over as if going over something.

A click was heard and the door was unlocked, but when both policemen came in, they saw blood all over and realized both women had been shot.

They called a guard at a nearby store outside and asked him to call the police.

The driver of Hernandez later told police that before the shooting, they saw a policeman seated on a couch in the office apparently waiting to be entertained.

During Saturdays, Hernandez always has something like half-a-million pesos with her in a bag. The bag was nowhere to be seen so it is surmised that this was approximately the amount the robber may have taken.