Minor charged for robbing a store

CEBU, Philippines - A 17-year-old teenager is now facing criminal charges before a family court for allegedly barging into a store in Barangay Sudlon, Cebu City in October last year, carting away P44,000.

The Cebu City Prosecutor's Office charged the teenager (name withheld by The FREEMAN in adherence to the confidentiality clause of the law for minor offenders) with robbery.

The prosecution office further ordered for the refiling of the case from a regular court to a family court after it learned that the boy was actually a minor based on his National Statistics Office Certi-ficate of Live Birth.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development also submitted a manifestation confirming the minority of the boy and requested to have the case re-raffled.

The boy is now under the custody of the social workers.

The case stemmed from the complaint of the owner of the store who alleged that at the dawn  of October 11 last year, he was awakened by a noise on the ceiling of his home which is connected to the ceiling of his store.

When he checked where the noise came from, he saw the minor come down from the ceiling which prompted him to shout for help from his neighbors.

He also saw another unidentified suspect destroy the roof which was made of galvanized iron sheets.

The suspects immediately fled using the hole in the roof. The owner said he tried to chase the suspects but to no avail.

The owner was able to identify the minor and reported him to the police which led to his capture. The unidentified accomplice remains at large. (FREEMAN)