Sotanghon factory in Valenzuela robbed

At least three suspects on board motorcycles robbed a sotanghon factory in Valenzuela City but quick response by police led to the arrest of one suspect when he ran into a blockade during his get-away.

Senior Inspector Salvador de la Cruz, station investigation chief, said suspect Cesar Torres and his two cohorts posed as trash scavengers and barged into the Metro Sotanghon factory in Barangay Maysan at around 10:30 a.m.

One of the suspects went directly to the office of factory owner Lupehenia Chua and scooped about P150,000 in cash from his desk drawer. He also took the purse of Chua’s secretary, Maria Nelce Nuqui, which contained about P25,000 in cash.

The three gunmen then commandeered a tricycle for their get-away.

Chua called the police afterwards and reported the heist. A dragnet was quickly set up and Torres was arrested.

Nuqui’s bag was recovered but the rest of the loot was with the two other gunmen that got away. Two revolvers and several ammunition were also seized from Torres.

Police are currently hunting down his two accomplices. – Jerry Botial, Pete Laude