Boy, 16, snatches P100T PO card sale

CEBU, Philippines - The police has arrested a 16-year-old boy after he was seized with P100,000 in cash that he allegedly snatched from a woman engaged in buying and selling purchase order (PO) card business yesterday in Barangay Sto. Niño, Cebu City.

The suspect (whose name is being withheld for being a minor), reportedly poked a knife at the victim, Felicitas Roble, 57, before divesting the money.

As per investigation, the incident happened at 10 a.m. yesterday while Roble, a resident of Barangay Basak-Pardo, was standing outside a mall along Osmeña Boulevard while doing her business.

SPO3 Romeo Abellana, chief investigator of Waterfront Police Station, said the victim was placing a small plastic pack which contained the money inside  her shoulder bag when the minor snatched it.

The plastic pack was torn and two bundles of the money fell down.

At this juncture, the victim and the suspect grappled for the money until the teenager managed to get it.

Roble still tried to retrieve the money from the suspect but the latter pointed at her a knife and threatened to stab her if she insisted.

The snatcher ran but he was timely arrested by Police Officers 1 Lolito Amogis and Policarpio Barliso Jr. who were assigned as beat patrols in the area and noticed the commotion.

The money, which was composed of 60 pieces of P1,000 bills and 18 pieces of P500 bills, was recovered in full. The knife was likewise recovered from the minor.

The suspect, in an interview, alleged that he was just forced to rob Roble as ordered by four men who robbed him of his P500 capital in fruit vending and also allegedly threatened to kill him.

The suspect is temporarily detained at the Waterfront Police Station lock-up cell and will eventually turn him over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for being a minor.  (FREEMAN)