Japanese national, girlfriend robbed in 'unguarded' resort

CEBU, Philippines - A Japanese national and his Filipina girlfriend were robbed by unidentified culprits last Monday dawn inside the room they were staying in at a resort of barangay Bancasan, San Remigio town.

Akihito Fukuhara, 52 years old, of Tokyo, Japan and Stephanie Ricablanca, 20, resident of Lapu-Lapu City were asleep inside their rented room in Verdemar Golf Club Resort when someone began knocking at the door.

Police initial investigation revealed that at about half past midnight last Monday, unidentified culprits knocked at the door of their rented room.

Fukuhara opened the door but, to his surprise, a group of men who were wearing bonnets poked a knife and a gun of unknown caliber at him.

After which the robbers bound his and Ricablanca’s hands using a nylon rope.

The culprits then searched the belongings of the victims and took 100,000 in Japanese yen, cellular phones, MP4 player, a Gucci wallet, a sling bag, a bunch of keys, and a ream of Lucky Strike cigarette.

According to PO3 Jovan Placencia, investigator of the San Remigio Police Station, the resort doesn’t have any security guard.

Placencia said that after the robbers left the room, the Japanese national and his girlfriend managed to untie the rope and then asked help from occupants of the neighboring rooms.

Placencia also said the incident gives them the hint that outsiders could just go in and out of the resort premises.

Senior Supt. Erson Digal, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said that he directed the chief of police of San Remigio to determine whether the incident is an “inside job or not.” – Gabriel C. Bonjoc/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)