Two men rob PUJ, cart cellphones

CEBU, Philippines - An alleged thief was shot dead yesterday dawn along Magallanes corner D. Jakosalem Streets, Barangay Sto Niño, Cebu City.

A certain Michael Abellana who is temporarily residing at Barangay Ermita, was shot by two men onboard a motorcycle at 2:10 a.m. after being chased by the suspect from F.Gonzalez Street.

The assailants fled immediately after they shot the victim.

Residents of the area reportedly heard gunshots a few minutes before Abellana’s body was found sprawled and bloodied on the side of the road.

He sustained several gunshot wounds on the right side of his body which resulted to his death.

The Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) personnel who responded to the incident declared the victim dead.  

Cebu City Police Office homicide investigator PO1 Esmer Escultor told The FREEMAN that the victim was previously arrested for snatching but was later released because he was a minor.

“Snatcher na siya atong una unya kay minor man siya gihatagan siya og second chance,” he said.

Investigators recovered from the crime scene a deformed slug from an undetermined caliber and four empty shells which they believed to be from a caliber 45.

The victim’s cadaver was brought to St. Francis Funeral Homes for autopsy.

Meanwhile, Grace Go, 46, and Josefina Jejam, 51, both residents of Banawa Hills, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City were robbed in broad daylight inside a public utility vehicle yesterday at 11:45 a.m.

Investigators said the two victims who were on their way home boarded a PUJ bound for Barangay Banawa near Cebu Business Park a few minutes prior to the incident.

When the PUJ they were riding passed near the Provincial Capitol, two unidentified men boarded the vehicle and sat near the victim.

When the vehicle reached Forest Hills in Banawa, the two men declared a robbery.

“Ang among gikinahanglan inyo ra nga cell phone (we only want your cell phones)”, the suspects allegedly told the victims.

Immediately, the two robbers got off from the vehicle and boarded a motorcycle for hire, locally known as habal-habal and fled.

The victim sought help from bystanders who reported the incident to the police.

However, the information which reached the police was that a cell shop has been robbed which confused responding policemen from the Mobile Patrol Group and the motorcycle riding units. The police also conducted hot pursuit operations but to no avail.

They later found out that the robbery happened near a cell shop.    

The victims lost two cell phones with a total amount of P7, 000 and a diamond ring worth P10, 000. (FREEMAN)