Burglary, theft mar holiday observance

CEBU, Philippines - Half a million worth of jewelry and cash were lost to a burglary last Thursday of a house in sitio Sandayong, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City whose owners were out in the cemetery for the November first-celebration.

Christine Gabutan, 39, who works as a finance officer of Lucky Tableware in Barangay Guadalupe, was at the cemetery along with her child when the burglary was carried out.

PO1 Michael Baring who conducted ocular investigation said the robber was able to enter the house by climbing on the terrace and detaching the jalousie blades of the comfort room.

Once inside, it was easy to get to the two bedrooms where the the pieces of jewelry, which Gabutan estimated to worth P500,000, was placed. She also lost over P3,000 cash.

The burglary was discovered by her mother who owns part of the jewelry that was stolen Baring said.

A theft incident also occurred inside Carreta cemetery victimizing Wilfredo Petalcorin, 50.

Suspect Cesar Villamor, 37, was arrested after he was seen by the victim's nephew, Jun-jun Umacob, 28, pocketing Petalcorin's cellular phone which fell from his pocket amid the crowd of people that entered the cemetery late Thursday night.

Umacob said the suspect was their neighbor and companion in going to the cemetery.

Police later arrested Villamor, but the phone worth P6,000, and the P5,000 cash which Petalcorin said he also lost along with the phone, were no longer recovered. — (FREEMAN)