Sinulog revelers lose P500T in cash, gems

CEBU, Philippines - Unidentified burglars stormed a condominium unit in Barangay Apas, Cebu City on Monday, taking away more than half a million pesos in cash and valuables.

Vanessa del Prado, 23; Mary Anne del Prado, 59; Virgilio del Prado, 68; and Adeline Radaza, 59, reported the incident to Mabolo Police Station.

The four are Filipino-Americans who only stayed to join the Sinulog revelry.

Senior Inspector Peter Hartzel Bellido said the victims were not around the condo unit when the burglary incident happened.

They only noticed the loss upon arriving in the unit at around 6 p.m. on Monday.

Different jewelry, including a Diamond Tennis bracelet worth $8,000, several gadgets and cash worth P68, 000 or a total amount of P547,160 were allegedly taken from the four victims.

Bellido said the police are relying on the finger prints taken by the Crime Scene Investigation Unit to solve the case since the condo unit has no closed-circuit television camera.

The police had not also found any signs of forced entry on the unit which can be entered by swiping a special card on the security door lock.

Bellido said they are not discarding the possibility of an inside job.

"Sayo pa kaayo para mo-rule out ta sa possibility nga naay inside job, pero ato pa nang imbestigahan," Bellido said.

Bellido added that the police will call the attention of the four victims to deepen the investigation.

Meanwhile, police arrested three robbers in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City on Tuesday.

Alvin Pepito, 26; Rey Diopilo, 18; and Jano Compay,18, were arrested by the patrolling police for holding up passengers of a PUJ with route number 14D.

The patrolling police had chanced upon the robbery and saw the commotion inside the PUJ.

The police ordered the jeepney driver to stop. Upon seeing them, the suspects tried to escape but failed.

The suspects were brought to Fuente Osmeña Police Station for detention. (FREEMAN)