Robbers kill cook, hurt his brother

CEBU, Philippines - Another robbery incident turned bloody as a cook of a Korean restaurant died while his brother is now recuperating in the hospital when robbers shot them early morning yesterday.

The brothers were walking home towards Junquera St. after eating barbecue at Fuente Osmeña when they were robbed by two men at corner Arlington Pond and Lim Tian Teng Sts. in barangay Santa Cruz around 4 a.m.

The fatality was identified as Vedasto Bagnol Cursiga, 25. His brother Herbert, 21, who works as a waiter at the restaurant, where his brother was a cook, is still in the hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds.

The brothers hail from Putohan, Tubigon, Bohol.

Police investigators said that one of two men standing at the roadside pulled out a handgun and declared a hold-up.

The man told the brothers to turn around and then took the cellular phone from the front pocket of Vedasto and Herbert’s wallet from his back pocket then passed them to another person.

Even if the brothers did not resist, the robber tried to shoot them but his gun misfired, prompting Vedasto to take action by grappling for the gun.

A scuffle ensued and the gun fired twice hitting Herbert on the upper part of his right thigh and Vedasto was hit on the upper left side of his chest.

After the shots rang, the two robbers, who were described by witnesses to be minors, fled on foot towards Osmeña Blvd.

The victims were rushed to the nearby Velez Hospital, but Vedasto was declared dead on arrival.

Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said that his men are now working double time to identify the robbers.

Comendador said that based on information he received, the assailants are from B. Rodriguez St., barangay Sambag II.

Comendador believes that the assailants were formerly convicted in a robbery case and have gone back to the streets after their release.

The CCPO director said that based on the manner the robbers carried out the crime, most likely they are city residents as they did not use any getaway vehicle and are not also big-time robbers.

Police will also be checking any link of the two robbers to two others, who were nabbed an hour before the incident by the Fuente Police.

Comendador also directed policemen on night watch duty to join tanods in their patrols.

The police chief said that there are 40 police personnel scattered around the city for night watch and most are deployed at Colon Street and nearby areas. He added that the city police has also been affected by the loss of 87 personnel on Field Training Program. – Niña Sumacot/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)