Teacher robbed, suspect arrested

CEBU, Philippines - A public school teacher of the Ibabao Elementary School in barangay Ibabao, Mandaue City was robbed Monday evening while on board a trisikad along F.B. Cabahug Street in sitio Sudlon in barangay Ibabao.

Gina del Castillo, 25, was on her way home at around 8 that evening when a man stopped the trisikad, pulled out a gun, and announced a holdup.

The man then grabbed Castillo's shoulder bag that contained her ATM card, phone worth P6,000, and her money amounting to P1,700.

But Castillo didn't immediately yield, resulting to a tug-of-war.

She let go of her bag only after the man fired his gun.

Castillo then went to the police to seek help.

Without much ado, the police, led by P/Insp. Mark Edward Barrios, went after the robber.

After learning that he was hiding in the interior of barangay Guizo, the police spread out and waited for him to come out.

The police were right. At around 5:55 a.m. yesterday, the suspect came out and was arrested.

Seized from him were a loaded .45 caliber pistol and the shoulder bag that belonged to Castillo.

But the cellular phone and money that were inside the bag were now missing.

At the police station, the police identified the robber as John Lester Panis, of legal age, and a resident of barangay Looc, Mandaue City.

Panis is now detained at the Centro police station pending the filing of cases against him. - THE FREEMAN