Vendor arrested for robbing blogger

MANILA, Philippines - A vendor was arrested for allegedly robbing a blogger who had asked him about cell phone casings he was selling in Divisoria, Manila Saturday night.

Carlo Valenzona told police that he came from an event at the Bonifacio Plaza in Divisoria when he thought of inquiring about iPhone 4 casings from vendors along the way.

Valenzona said one vendor he happened to ask was Jabbar Pacaambong, 22.

Several minutes later, Valenzona said Pacaambong, along with several companions, followed him and accosted him, claiming that the blogger had taken the vendor’s iPhone with him.

Valenzona denied the claim, but Pacaambong demanded that he hand over a shopping bag containing his Samsung smartphone, a black Nike backpack and other items.

Fearing for his life, Valenzona handed over his belongings. He later saw a traffic enforcer a few meters away and asked for the enforcer’s help to arrest Pacaambong.

Though Valenzona recovered his shopping bag, he failed to get his smartphone back.