Student shot in jeepney robbery

CEBU, Philippines - An 18-year-old college student was injured after she was hit by a bullet fired by a robbery suspect along MJ Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Carreta dawn yesterday.

Algea Sebe, a student of the University of San Carlos taking up Hotel and Restaurant Management, landed in the hospital after she was hit on both thighs. Sebe is a native of Surigao City.

SPO4 Celso Seville of Cebu City Theft and Robbery Section said the victim, along with some five other passengers, were coming from the downtown area on board a jeepney with route no. 13C at almost 3am.

The jeepney reportedly stopped at a gasoline station when four men arrived and declared a hold-up. Two of the four reportedly carried guns and divested the passengers of their belongings.

Elaine Atillo, 20, lost her phone worth P1,700; a certain Don-don Asignar, 22, lost his phone worth P5,000; and Crisenciano Judaya, 46, lost his phone worth P2,000.

Sebe handed over her silver necklace worth P1,000 to the robbers while Erica Lagahit, 17, a Nursing student also of USC, gave her cellular phone worth P1,200. The robbers reportedly did not get anything from Mary Joy Antipuesto.

After taking the loot, one of the robbers reportedly fired at the jeepney as the four suspects fled.

Seville said the bullet ricocheted and hit Sebe on the thighs. She was taken to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and is now in stable condition.

Responding personnel of TRS and Mobile Patrol Group later arrested Rodel Narciso, 18, along P. Del Rosario Street minutes. A .357 revolver with five live bullets were recovered from him. He was positively identified as one of the robbers.

Seville said one of the four suspects, also a resident of Lorega, may be the suspect who figured in a scuffle with a passenger of a Talamban-bound jeepney.

The passenger, Janne Michelle Lachica, a Medical Technology student of Velez College, was onboard the jeepney when the vehicle stopped at a red light. A man went on board the jeepney and sat beside her. Seeing the man reportedly grip on something as if holding a knife, Lachica punched the man on the face, which resulted into a scuffle. However, the suspect still successfully took Lachica’s cellphone away.

 “Nag-kumo-kumo man ang kamot dapit sa iyang kilid. Nagduda man siya nga tulisan, sumbag pa niya sa nawong. Naa man daw siya background sa martial arts,” said PO2 Reynaldo Labating.

The girl was injured on both knees due to the scuffle.

Lorega barangay tanods identified the suspect as Reden Lambo, of sitio Itom Yuta, Barangay Lorega. They reportedly tried to chase him, but Lambo escaped. — (FREEMAN)