Ex-councilor’s wife loses cash to theft

CEBU, Philippines - The wife of a city hall official lost P70,000 cash Monday afternoon to suspected members of “laglag barya gang” in Barangay Sto. Niño, Cebu City.

Sheila Mae Daluz, wife of former city councilor Joey Daluz, said she was with her husband and their kids to have lunch in a restaurant along Legaspi Street when at least seven members of the criminal gang tricked her.   

She said her husband and the kids went ahead inside the restaurant. As she was about to leave the vehicle, an unidentified person approached and told her that something fell at the back of her car so she went to check it leaving her bag inside the car.

“Pagkabantay nako nga naay gitagak nga sinsiyo didto na ko nakahuna-huna nga ayay laglag barya ni. Paglingi nako wala na akong bag sulod sa sakyanan, kadiyot ra kaayo,” Sheila Mae said.

She tried to follow two persons whom she thought are the culprits but failed to catch up with them.

She said there was a police officer standing few meters away from her vehicle and several barangay tanods were also standing and eating lunch on the other side of the road. However, none of them noticed the incident.

It was only later that they came to help Sheila Mae but it was too late because the culprits were already gone.

The members of the Waterfront Police Station as well as Barangay Captain Pancho Ramirez responded to the alarm and checked with the security footage at a nearby establishment.

A jeepney driver, who allegedly saw the incident, claimed that there were at least seven people involved. The driver said a gay took the bag while the others serve as lookout.

The PUJ driver claimed that the seven were his passengers from Barangay Tejero. He said two of the members of the group were females.

The driver said the suspects did not pay their fares and even threatened him after he asked for it.

“Nag-iyahay man lang to sila’g padulong pagnaog nila timing man stop signal nihunong ko mao to kita ko ang bayot maoy nikuha sa bag,” the driver said.

Former councilor Daluz, who is now executive assistant to Mayor Michael Rama, said it was the second time his wife had fallen victim to theft. — (FREEMAN)