CEBU, Philippines - A pawnshop lost about P10,000 cash to a lone robber who pointed a gun at the teller an hour after midday last Sunday along Duterte St., Barangay Poblacion, Danao City.
The robber was arrested a few hours later when the police responded to a shooting alarm in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Cogon, where a 21-year-old man was injured after the robber shot him during the chase that ensued.
Police identified the injured as Ricarson Roble, of Barangay Ilaya, who just ran after Ricky Prieto, 31, a motorcycle-for-hire driver of Sitio Timobo, Barangay Cabungahan, tagged responsible for the robbery.
Roble was hit in his left leg and was rushed to the Danao Provincial Hospital but was later transferred to a hospital in Cebu City for treatment.
Prieto was armed with a .357 revolver, wearing a bonnet and was on board a Suzuki motorcycle without a plate number when he allegedly robbed the Cebu Gold Pawnshop.
He reportedly pointed his revolver to Ruben Ferna, 24, of Ralota St., Barangay Poblacion, who immediately handed the amount due to fear.
SPO1 Bryan Batiquin, Danao City investigator said, the said pawnshop was first robbed in 2004 and until now, there was no close-circuit television camera and no security guard.
Police were conducting follow-up operations on the incident based on the description given by a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network who sighted Prieto when they responded to a shooting incident in Barangay Sta. Rosa.
Batiquin said they were at the scene when they saw Prieto and took the chance at arresting him. Prieto reportedly ran towards a sugarcane plantation as Roble followed him for unknown reasons.
“Amo na lang siyang gisugat sa piggery sa una-han kay basin maigo mi og magpabuto siya. (We just met him at a piggery nearby because we might get hit if he fires his gun.) ” Batiquin said.
It was at this juncture when police heard one burst of gunfire and found out that Roble was injured.
“Wala ra nay apil niapil lang og dagan nagtuo ang tulisan nga pulis siya maong gipusil. (He wasn’t involved but he also ran and the robber shot him thinking that he was a policeman),” Batiquin said in a phone interview.
Police cornered Prieto and arrested him. Authorities recovered his revolver with three bullets of the same caliber in it, his bonnet and the motorcycle but not the cash.
A case for illegal possession of firearms was filed in court yesterday.
Other criminal charges are being prepared to be filed this week.
Meanwhile, an argument over a basketball tournament in Barangay Sta. Rosa, Danao City, led to even more trouble when a man was shot three times.
Ronald Matugas, 22, of Barangay Ibo, Danao City, was taken to the Don Vicen-te Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for treatment due to three gunshot wounds in different parts of his body. (FREEMAN)