Bakery owner shot, lost cash to robbers

CEBU, Philippines - A man was shot and injured by two unidentified robbers in Barangay Pung-ol Sibugay, Cebu City Tuesday evening.

Paulino Pezalbon, 43, owner of a bakery shop, sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg after one of the robbers shot him after he opened fire with his licensed cal. 45 pistol at them but missed.

Initial investigation revealed that the robbery happened while Pezalbo and his wife Eleuteria, 46, were heading home on board their Kia Picanto after collecting the proceeds of their three bakeries in Buanoy, Balamban, Cebu.

Prior to the incident, the couple pulled over in Barangay Pung-ol and went out of the car to answer the call of nature when the assailants on board a Honda Wave motorcycle suddenly appeared.

One of the two men pointed a gun at Paulino then told him, “Tulis ni, ambi ang inyong kwarta.” The robber then grabbed the bag of Eleuteria that contained at least P49,000 cash.

When the robbers started to speed off, Paulino opened fire at them but missed. The robbers fired back at the victim and hit him in the leg.

Theft and Robbery Section head Chief Inspector David Señor said Eleuteria had allegedly noticed a motorcycle trailing them along the Transcentral highway.

 “Didto pa lang daan sa may transcentral highway, nakabantay na ang asawa nga naa’y nagsunod nila nga motor. Wala nuon ni-overtake nila,” said Señor.

He said the victims were able to see the faces of the robbers, but failed to recognize them.

“Posible nga taga-Balamban ang mga tulisan. Gisundan na ‘to sila, na-ngita ra g’yud og timing para makatulis,” said Señor.

Paulino was rushed to Velez Hospital for treatment. A follow-up investigation is being conducted by the police for the possible arrest of the culprits.

Meanwhile, Regional Intelligence Division chief, Senior Superintendent Pablo Labra II said they have not yet monitored any presence of bigtime robbery groups that might hit this holiday season.

 “Wa ta’y report nga nadawat nga mga robbery personalities sa mga silingang dapit sa Mindanao nga niabot sa atoa,” said Labra.

He said, though, that they will continue to monitor for robbers now that Christmas vacation is fast approaching.

For now, they have been looking out for at least three robbery groups in Cebu that have been pulling off heists since April this year.

“We are in a look out for a group nga responsible sa mga series of robberies nga nahitabo sa Metro Cebu sugod pa niadtong Abril. Sa atong assessment sa intelligence, posibling may tulo ka grupo na naghimo,” Labra said.

With this, Police Regional Office-7 director Prudencio Bañas ordered all the city and provincial directors in Metro Cebu area to intensify the conduct of random checkpoints and chokepoints in their respective jurisdictions.

Bañas further ordered that police visibility must be maintained especially in areas where financial institutions are located. (FREEMAN)