4 Chinese, van driver robbed in Medellin

CEBU, Philippines- Four Chinese nationals who were on their way to Daanbantayan and the driver who fetched them from the airport were robbed by two armed persons in Barangay Curva, Medellin town last Saturday.

The unidentified robbers took at least P150,000 worth of cash and valuables from Chinese nationals Danni Yu, 33; Peijing Zhuang, 63; Jue Zhang, 33; and Xu Wu, 32, and van driver Jerome Enriquez, 23.

Senior Police Officer 1 Manuel Alann Tan of Medellin Police Station said it took the victims seven hours to report to the police station the said robbery as they proceeded first to Daanbantayan after the incident.

On Saturday morning, Enriquez reportedly fetched the foreigners, who had just arrived from China, at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The four were going for a vacation in Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan.

Tan said the van has reached Barangay Curva in Medellin at around 1 p.m. when two persons wearing bonnets and helmets and riding on a motorcycle allegedly blocked the way.

The backriderallegedly pulled out a caliber .45 pistol and pointed it at the van, which prompted Enriquez to immediately stop the vehicle.

The robber got on the van and took the passenger seat as he commanded Enriquez to keep the van moving.

At this juncture, the robber took the driver’s wallet containing P1,000 cash and P31,000 cash and gadgets from the four Chinese nationals.

The robber, who was able to get from the victims P150,000 worth of cash and electronic gadgets, alighted from the van some 100 meters away and rode back on the motorcycle.

The van proceeded to Malapascua where the driver asked for police assistance.

Senior Police Officer 3 Herminio Marinde and another policeman from Daanbantayan Police Station brought the victims to Medellin Police Station.

Tan said they are having a hard time conducting an investigation on the said robbery as it was reported to them too late.

Meanwhile, a man lost P64,000 in cash and valuables after his house in Lower Nivel Hills, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City was burglarized Saturday evening.

The 37-year-old victim (who refuses to have his name divulged), reportedly asked one Archie Murcha, 33, to go to his house at around 8 p.m. last Saturday to get something.

Murcha was already inside the victim’s house when he allegedly saw the burglar escaping through the window.

He was able to grab onto the suspect, but the latter managed to still escape.

At around 2 p.m. yesterday, personnel of Theft and Robbery Section arrested Generoso, who denied the accusation.

“Ingon man sad ang mga silingan didto nga ilado daw ni siya nga hilabtanon sa maong dapit,” the police said.

The suspect is now detained and will be facing charges.  (FREEMAN)