Tarlac treasure hunters robbed

CAMP MAKABULOS, Tarlac — A retired US government employee in search of gold bars in the province sustained a gunshot wound in the head after he and his companions were robbed last Sunday by still unknown gunmen within an alleged upland terrorist training camp in San Clemente town.

Now recuperating at an undisclosed hospital in the province is Fernando Quiazon, 66, while his companions, Tessie Salvador, and Arnold and Roland Tamayo, remained in shock due to the incident. They are all residents of Barangay San Francisco, Tarlac City.

Officer-on-case PO1 Jay Espiritu disclosed that the victims were accompanied by one Reno Guttierez on board a Toyota car, with license plate number PLT-205, when around 10 heavily armed men flagged them down at Sitio Conding in Barangay Maasin, San Clemente.

The gunmen then took from the victims P8,000 in cash, two wristwatches worth P25,000, two mobile phones worth P12,000, a US-made shotgun worth $375, a .9mm pistol worth $700, a camera, rice cooker and assorted credit cards.

Afterwards, the armed men started firing at them but only Quiazon was hit.

Guttierez was supposed to introduce Quiazon to a relative, one Tiboy Guttierez and another Rolly, both alleged residents of Capas town, for the purchase of a set of Japanese gold bars.

The upland village where the incident took place, Barangay Maasin, is the same community where an alleged terrorist camp was overran by government troopers last May 3. — Benjie Villa