Burglars hit doc’s house, steal P1.3M cash, items

CEBU, Philippines -  A doctor and her family lost at least P1.3 million in cash and valuables after their house was burglarized allegedly by children at a subdivision in Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City on Thursday.

The 59-year-old physician immediately reported to the police after their helper, who came running from an errand, found their things inside the house already scattered.

In an interview with the doctor who requested anonymity, she said at around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, while on duty at her clinic, she called home and instructed their helper to get the laboratory result of her husband at another clinic located in Punta Princesa.

The helper heeded, leaving the house with nobody inside.

However, the doctor said, her helper called her up several minutes later and said their house appeared to have been ransacked and that her items inside the vault were already gone.

The victim said they found out that the window grills at the back of their house were levered and the jalousie blades were detached.

“It was really easy for them since I also forgot to lock the vault,” said the doctor, sounding regretful.

The items stolen were her collection of jewelries for more than 20 years, her and her husband’s high-end watches, a laptop and at least P350,000 cash, which they set aside to be used for the on-the-job training of her daughter.

She said all items stolen would amount to around P1.3 million.

According to the doctor, they received information that three men and around two to three children, who appeared to be eight to 13 years old, were seen in the area before the burglary was discovered.

However, the victim said they really have no idea who is responsible for the crime, adding that they really trust their helper.

She said this was not the first time a house in their subdivision was burglarized, but she was really confident no one from the area would do such thing to their family as she gives free medical checkup even to the squatters near their subdivision.

“Kung naa man g’yud gani diha ang nanguha, kumpyansa ra pud g’yud ko kay basin ba, malooy sad sila sa akoa kay mohatag pud gud ko og free checkup sa mga taga-diri,” she said.

Chief Inspector David Señor, chief of the Theft and Robbery Section, said they also received information from Punta Princesa Police Station that minors are involved in the burglary.

Señor said around two or three minors, who would usually bring sacks and dig up garbage, have already been reported to the police station many times.

He said they also suspect that there are adults who are holding these minors, explaining that the grills could not be levered by a minor.

“Siguro, dako ang nag-ligwat ani unya ang gipasulod, mga bata na,” he said.

Señor said the subdivision have security guards. However, they could not close the subdivision since the road was used by students in going to a school nearby. There was also no closed-circuit television camera in the subdivision.

The TRS chief said they will follow up the case for the possible apprehension of the culprits. —/NSA (FREEMAN)