Robbers steal vault from grocery store

CEBU, Philippines – Eight armed men clad in police uniforms robbed a grocery store along Gen. Maxilom Ave. shortly past midnight yesterday and carted away a vault that contained about P100,000 in coins and items from a cellular phone shop.

The robbers fooled the three security guards on duty as they wore the light blue shirts of policemen and were armed with M-16 rifles.

The security guards said that three men went to the parking area of the grocery store located along Gotianuy Street and told them that they were responding to an indiscriminate firing alarm.

The three men then asked the guards to hand in their guns so these could be checked, which the security guards immediately did. 

As this transpired, one of the three men cut the ropes that were used to barricade the parking lot and two vehicles came in – a black Pajero and a white L-300 van.

It was at this point that the three men declared a hold-up and then handcuffed one of the guards while the other was asked to lie prone. 

The third guard was asked to guide the robbers inside the store after they broke the lock and destroyed the roll up door.

The three guards have been identified as Jessie Rey Bajenting, 21, a native of Dipolog City; Neil Zoren Boquecosa, 19, of Ocaña, Carcar City; and Jeffrey Luna, 28, of brgy. Lambusan, San Remigio.

Boquecosa was the one handcuffed while Luna was asked to lie prone. Bajenting was the one asked to guide the robbers inside the store.

While the robbers were inside the store, two of their cohorts took the upper uniforms of the guards and wore them as they stood guard outside the establishment.

The guards deny any involvement in the crime.

“Kami man ang gitulis ani sir. Gani ang akong cellphone gidala og apil. Wala na gyud mi nahimo kay tag-as ang ilang armas. Willing sab mi ipa-undergo ug lie test para maklaro gyud,” Luna said.

The incident was reported by the three guards, who were left inside the store, when the robbers fled after almost two hours at the scene.

Policemen from the Mobile Patrol Group were immediately at the crime scene shortly after the report made by the guards, but could not enter since personnel from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) were not present.

The police tried to call the SOCO, but nobody answered the call. It was only at around 7 a.m. or five hours after that the police were able to enter the grocery store.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, director of the Cebu City Police Office, said that he believes the robbers were not from here, but got weapons and vehicles from a local contact.

He also said that the guards were found to have no licenses and have not undergone the required training.

The police also found out that the firearms used by the guards were not licensed.

probe on SOCO

The chief of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory Service has ordered an investigation into the delay of the SOCO team to respond to the robbery.

Dr. Nestor Sator admitted that the SOCO team responded very late to the request for assistance by the Cebu City Police because the person assigned to take the telephone calls was not able to answer the call.

Sator has directed PO3 Jorlick Troma, who was assigned as duty Police Non-Commissioned Officer, to explain within 24 hours why he should not be disciplined for having been negligent of his work.

According to Sator, it was already early in the morning yesterday that they knew about the robbery.   Sator said they could have responded immediately had Troma answered the call.

In a television news report, Troma claimed that he had a stomachache and only heard the alarm at 6 a.m. — with Ramil V. Ayuman and Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)