|
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Speak out: Robbery incidents
By (Writer’s name withheld upon request)
I write because it seems that many petty crimes are still happening in Cebu City that has gone unnoticed by our authorities.
A few weeks ago, three students were walking along the road near the Chong Hua Hospital at around 7 p.m. A taxi suddenly stopped then two men with knives got out and took their wallets and cell phones.
A few days ago, a Turkish lady was passing by the corner of the same road and was robbed of a cell phone and wallet by a man who sped off with a taxi.
In the same vicinity, a snatcher at the back of man riding a big bike victimized a foreigner and his wife.
All these seemed odd but these seemed normal in that uptown neighborhood. There are, of course, holdup stories happening frequently in jeepneys and other streets in the metropolis.
Here’s another story.
Last Sunday at around 2 p.m., while I was riding a jeepney bound for Ayala, two men with a revolver and an ice pick announced a holdup somewhere near the Shell station along Escario St. and demanded for our cell phone.
After disembarking, the man with the gun asked for the cell phone of the guy seating neat the rear of the jeepney.
After a brief exchange of words, the guy handed his cell phone but the jeepney driver didn't even dare to move his vehicle as if enjoying seeing his "clients" being robbed.
I hope the Cebu City Government will look into this problem. Drivers of any jeepney or taxi being robbed must be required to report the incident to the nearest police station together with the passengers.
This is because the drivers may have knowledge of the identities of the perpetrators or how they looked like or behaved.
This way, drivers will watch out for these robbers and warn his passengers of their presence if they don’t want to go through the hassles of being investigated or made to testify.
But back to the story.
After a few minutes, the driver was back from Ayala and asked if the hold-uppers were caught, as just a few meters from the crime scene was parked a barangay tanod's vehicle. Maybe he thought their modus was spoiled.
The driver did not have a word of sympathy for the victims.
If these drivers are in cahoots with robbers, we better get rid of these jeepneys.
(March 24, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
