CEBU, Philippines - Two women lost over P71,000 worth of cash and valuables to unidentified men in separate incidents in Cebu City.
Jenice Orlene Roa, 16, a student and a resident of Barangay Punta Princesa lost P42,200 worth of items and P1,700 in cash after a man snatched her bag inside a public utility jeep Friday afternoon.
Roa, who immediately reported the incident to the Theft and Robbery Section of Cebu City Police Office, said that she boarded the PUJ outside a mall, where the robber also rode the jeepney.
She described the man as medium-built with dark skin complexion and wearing a cap and sunglasses.
Roa said the man then disembarked the PUJ along Echavez Street Barangay Lorega, but before going down, he grabbed her backpack and immediately took off towards General Maxilom Avenue.
In a separate incident, Jemy Mae Fernandez, 22, a resident of Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City was robbed by two unidentified men inside a PUJ Friday night along Benedicto Street in Barangay Tejero.
Fernandez reported the incident to the Police Station 3.
According to the victim, there were five passengers, including the two unidentified men, in the jeep.
Fernandez was with a male companion who was seated beside her. But her companion, along with the other passenger, was not able to fight back when one of the robbers pointed a gun at Fernandez while the other took her bag.
After the two took her things, they immediately disembarked from the vehicle and ran towards a dark alley in the area.
Fernandez lost P15,000 worth of items, including several important cards.
Burglary, Theft
Meanwhile, a resident of Purok 3, Upper Kamputhaw lost P12,500 worth of items to burglars Friday evening.
Josefiel Arrogante, 33, told police officers that he arrived at his rented room around 11:30 p.m. and discovered that the lock had been destroyed.
The burglars reportedly entered his room using a screw driver to break the lock of his door.
Arrogante lost a laptop worth P9,500 and a cellphone worth P3,000.
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy lost his motorcycle, which he parked along the road in Purok 4, Barangay Kamputhaw, Saturday dawn.
Neil Harvey Marabilis, a resident of Sitio Mangga, Barangay Tisa, discovered that his motorcycle was gone after he parked it along the road. The authorities are still conducting further investigation into the two incidents.
Charged
Three boys, including two minors, are facing charges before the court for allegedly robbing around P20,000 worth of construction materials.
Robel Delvo, 18, and two others aged 15 and 16, who are all residents of Barangay Mambaling, were indicted by city prosecutor Rhodna Bacatan who found probable cause of robbery.
In an inquest proceeding, the three opted not to undergo preliminary investigation to negate the allegations filed against them. Instead, they manifested to face the charges in court.
Bacatan recommended P24,000 bail for the temporary liberty of each of the accused.
Delvo and two minors allegedly connived with each other in robbing the uninhabited house of Adelina Pacana in Sitio Bayabas, Barangay San Nicolas around 3 a.m. on August 21.
The three accused took the aluminum door worth P10,000, aluminum ladder worth P3,760, and assorted construction materials worth P6,850 from Pacana’s house.
Three barangay public safety officers were patrolling in the area at the time of the incident and noticed three men jumping from the fence of the house while carrying items.
They reportedly approached Delvo and the two minors and asked if they were the occupants of the house.
However, a passerby informed the barangay tanods that the three accused were not occupying the house. The concerned citizen also told them that the house was under renovation and that the owner was not staying there.
They brought the three accused to the barangay hall and contacted Pacana.
During the ocular inspection, Pacana and the barangay tanods found out that the three forcibly opened the back door of the house to gain entry.
Pacana also confirmed that the seized items were missing.
Delvo and the two minors were then turned over to Mambaling Police Station. —/ATO (FREEMAN)