CEBU, Philippines - A security guard who had just been assigned to the Phoenix gas station in Barangay Tayud, Consolacion town, was killed after two men robbed the station yesterday afternoon.
The victim was identified as Rolie Broca, 30, a resident of Consolacion, and an employee of the Gador Security Agency also based in Consolacion.
He had been working for the agency for five years now. It was his first day in his new assignment.
Police Officer 3 Ronelito Montañez said the two robbers, wearing masks and sunglasses, drove up to the gas station on a black Honda XRM motorcycle and went behind the cashier’s booth where the guard was.
The two disembarked from the motorcycle and grabbed the gun of the victim which they used in shooting him.
“Nagtuo ang cashier nga binuang lang ba nga giilog ang pistola unya gipusil na man,” said Montañez.
Brocka tried to run to safety only to get shot again — this time fatally.
One of the robbers then went to the office of the gasoline station to get the money while the other stayed behind as a lookout.
Both men then hurriedly left and were last seen speeding towards Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City, with P150,000.
The owner of the gasoline station refused to give any statement.
Policemen who arrived after the incident recovered six 9mm shells from the crime scene.
Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador sent Special Reaction Unit personnel to support the Consolacion policemen in their operation.
Comendador said an outpost will be established in the area to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Meanwhile, an auto LPG gas station at corner Logarta St. and EO Perez St. Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, was robbed then burned by a man whose actions were caught on CCTV cameras early yesterday dawn.
JW Auto LPG initially reported to the police having lost P301,000 cash which was placed in a steel cabinet in the establishment’s office.
SPO3 Wynn Ompad of the Subangdaku Police Station said that the man entered the establishment’s office past 1 a.m., took the money then set fire to the place after dousing it with a gallon of gasoline he brought along.
Both the security guard and the supervisor on duty only noticed the incident after they heard the explosion and saw smoke coming from the office.
Ompad said that the incident could have been an inside job as the man knew where the money was placed and he covered his face with a shirt.
In another development an Internet café in Barangay Pitogo, Consolacion, was also robbed by two unidentified men last Saturday afternoon.
PO2 Johnaskie Romero of the Consolacion Police Station said around 5 p.m. two unidentified men on a blue Honda XRM motorcycle stopped in front of the café. After a few minutes one of them entered the Xerexnet Café and pretended that he was looking for the owner and technician of the shop, Rex Borres.
Borres was not around at that time so the attendant gave the man Borres’ contact number. The man went outside but returned minutes later with a gun and declared a robbery.
The robber rounded up the café’s six customers and locked them in the comfort room together with the attendant.
The robber and his accomplice stayed outside for a few minutes just talking and laughing as if nothing happened.
The two later left with P420 of the shop’s income and two CPUs. (FREEMAN)