N. Samar town mayor, wife robbed in Batangas

BATANGAS, Philippines – A town mayor of Northern Samar, his wife and sister-in-law lost more than P300,000 in cash to two motorcycle-riding men who robbed them at gunpoint in Lipa City Monday afternoon.

Biri town mayor Antonio Delos Reyes Jr., his dentist wife Amelita and her sister Myrna Pagcaliwangan had just withdrawn P330,000 from the Land Bank of the Philippines in Barangay Maraouy when they were robbed at around 1:45 p.m., said Batangas police chief Senior Superintendent Omega Jireh Fidel.

Investigators said the victims were in a tricycle driven by Eduardo Mersan when a motorcycle rear-ended them along San Nicolas street in Barangay Balintawak.

Mersan pulled the tricycle over to check the damage, but the motorcycle riders, at gunpoint, took the bag containing the money.

Mersan reportedly tried to grab the bag from the robbers, prompting one of the gunmen to shoot him. He was rushed to the Lipa City District Hospital for treatment.

Police said the robbers fled, taking with them another P30,000 from the victims’ wallets and four cell phones.

Fidel said the couple was vacationing in Batangas, where Pagcaliwangan is based.