Woman, 70, steals from ex-PAO lawyer inside court building

CEBU, Philippines - A 70-year-old woman caused chaos at the Palace of Justice Wednesday when she stole P1, 800 from a lawyer past 3 p.m.

The victim, former Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) lawyer Elissa Porio, was nabbed of her wallet which was inside her bag.

Porio said she was only visiting her former office when an aide called her attention that somebody opened her bag which was placed on one of the benches inside the PAO office. The aide pointed to Inso as the culprit.

As she checked the contents of the bag, she noticed that her wallet was not no longer inside. The wallet contained P1,800 cash.

Porio located her wallet lying on the floor under a desk, with all the money gone. She saw Inso holding P1,500 cash which Porio believed to hers and snatched it from the suspect.

Inso tried to flee from the scene but the security personnel at the main entrance of the Palace apprehended her. She was brought to the Regional Trial Court Branch 8 where a female sheriff frisked her but found nothing.

During interrogation, Inso denied the act but later on admitted but said she only stole P1, 000.

“Nadamay na hinuon akong P500,” Inso said.

She said she was at the PAO to seek advice on the Social Security System’s failure to release burial assistance for her child and saw Porio’s bag open while waiting to be entertained.

“Angkonon nalang nako ilang pamasangil (I will admit their accusations)”, Inso said.

Porio said she will press charges against the suspect who hails from Lapu-Lapu City to teach her a lesson even if she apologized to her before she was turned over to Cebu City Police Station 2.

Until yesterday, Porio has not filed a complaint and Inso is still detained at the said station.

In a separate incident, a 14-year-old boy was shot thrice by a security guard who allegedly caught him stealing scrap metals in Newtown Subdivision last Wednesday night.

Sanrio Rosales, 32, is in police custody after shooting the boy, who was also arrested for stealing the items.

The boy, a resident of sitio Sewalks, Barangay Bulacao, claimed he was gathering firewood and tin plates in the area with neighbors Rommel Pagodar and Aljun Cabaluna at past 6 p.m. when Rosales fired at them.

The boy sustained gunshot wounds on the left chest, left knee, and right elbow while his companions were unhurt. He was taken by his neighbors to the Cebu City Medical Center.  (FREEMAN)