Church in Tabunok loses P40 thousand to 3 burglars

CEBU, Philippines —  Three male burglars carted away around P40,000 worth of cash from the convent of St. Joseph Parish in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City Thursday dawn.

The suspects—Warren Nadera, 18, Vince Minoza,18, and Jeymar Mahilum,21– broke into the convent at 1 a.m. and the incident was captured on closed-circuit television camera.

They were arrested during a hot pursuit operation in Sitio Mananga, Tabunok at around 5 p.m. Thursday. All of them are residents of the said sitio.

Cash amounting to P3,000 was recovered from one of the suspects.

According to the police, the stolen money placed inside three piggy banks was not of parish funds but of the convent workers.

Robbery charges will be filed against the three, said Talisay City Police Station chief Gerard Ace Pelare.

Nadera, who turned 18 on the day of the arrest, and Minoza admitted to committing the crime.

Mahilum, on the other hand, belied the allegation.

Nadera and Minoza divulged that they were just “invited” by a certain Jovel, who authorities are now looking into.

Pelare said the surveillance footage was a huge help in identifying the burglars.

The CCTV footage shows the burglars walking to the parish’s locked gate and climbing over it. Two individuals entered the convent through a sliding window, while the third man served as the lookout.

Pelare said they are checking if these individuals were also involved in other burglary incidents in the city. — KQD (FREEMAN)