Road robbery in Carreta, Talamban

CEBU, Philippines - Passengers of a public utility jeepney lost their belongings and cash while a habal-habal driver lost his motorcycle to two pairs of robbers last Friday night.

One of the jeepney passengers, Mike Alvin Pugoy, 23, told The FREEMAN that the hold-up occurred around 11:30 pm while the jeepney was heading toward Barangay Talamban.

He reportedly saw one of the robbers already in the jeepney when he boarded along P. del Rosario Street. The man, described as chubby, reportedly kept on staring at Pugoy’s Guess wristwatch, which prompted Pugoy to hide his hand between his legs. The other suspect boarded the jeepney later.

“Nag duda na gyud ko niya (Chubby robber) kay mi li-li gyud siya sa ako relo,” he said.

As if to confirm his suspicions, the suspects pulled out their firearms and declared a hold-up when the jeepney arrived near the Cebu Chinese Cemetery in Barangay Carreta.

The chubby robber was reportedly the one who guarded the entrance of the vehicle while the other one was taking the belongings of the passengers.

“Ni kalit gyud sila og pagawas og armas mao nga amo nalang ihatag among mga gamit,” Pugoy said.

After taking the passengers’ belongings, the two immediately fled. The other passengers reported the incident to the Mabolo Police Station.

Pugoy lost his watch that costs P38,000 and P5,000 cash while his friend, Loren Ramondea, lost her Acer Laptop that costs P50,000 and P1,720 cash.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, Arniel Romeo, a habal-habal driver from Barangay Bacayan lost his motorcycle to two armed men also last Friday night.

Romeo told The FREEMAN that one of the robbers pretended to be a passenger and boarded his motorcycle near a drugstore in Barangay Talamban and asked to be brought to Barangay Bacayan.

However, when they arrived at a poorly lighted road, a man on board another motorcycle stopped beside his motorcycle and aimed a gun at him. The suspects then ordered him to disembark from his motorcycle and sped off together, his supposed passenger already driving his motorcycle.

“Na kuyawan gyud ko kay gikalitan lang ko og tion og armas,” he said. — (FREEMAN)