Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Robbers shifting targets? 3 cabs hit
If the past two days’ trend is any indication, robbers appear to have shifted their operations from passenger jeepneys to taxis.
Since Sunday up to early yesterday morning, three taxi drivers fell prey to armed robbers. In one attack that occurred late Sunday night, the perpetrators even commandeered the taxi.
These robberies began two days after Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. announced the plan to deploy secret marshals in jeepneys to protect passengers from robbers.
But the latest victims were aboard cabs, such as Jerome N. Taberos, 20, of Barangay Poblacion in Carcar, Cebu, who drives for the Holiday Taxi company.
A lone robber armed with a knife and a handgun held up Taberos at 10:20 a.m. near the Alliance of Two Hearts Parish in Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.
Taberos lost his earnings of P1,800.
He told SPO2 Isagani Pugoy of the Theft and Robbery Section that the suspect flagged him down along Tres de Abril St. and ordered him to proceed to Happy Valley Subdivision in Barangay Calamba.
But when they reached Happy Valley, the robber told Taberos to proceed to the church, where he then poked a knife at the driver’s neck and asked for his money.
Taberos said he tried to push the knife away but the robber told him not to make any other moves.
He then showed Taberos the handgun tucked in his waistband, prompting the driver to immediately give up his earnings.
Operatives from the Mobile Patrol Group tried to pursue the robber, but to no avail.
In a press conference yesterday, Cebu City Mayor Osmeña said he is not sure whether or not the recent incidents do “reflect a new trend.”
Citizen anger
But, he said, the City has taken steps to improve peace and order even before the new robberies took place. He mentioned the need to strengthen intelligence networks in the barangays, and promised more attention for barangay tanods’ needs.
He was also “quite pleased that the people are responsive to petty crimes.”
“It’s the people themselves who run after robbers. It’s nice to see that people here are doing their share,” the mayor said.
Less than 12 hours before Taberos’ ordeal, another driver was similarly robbed.
At 11:45 p.m. Sunday, Gomer T. Hata-as, 38, of the Van System taxi company lost his earnings and his cellular phone to two men armed with an ice pick and a Batangas knife.
Worse, the suspects also took Hata-as’ taxi. It was later found abandoned near the Ecotech complex in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
Hata-as, who reported the attack to the Mabolo Police Station, said that the robbers appeared to be in their early 30s. They boarded the cab along Pelaez St. in Cebu City and told him to drive them to Barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City.
But when they reached Sindulan St. in Mabolo, the suspects announced the holdup.
Third man
One of the suspects took his P1,400 earnings and his Samsung cellular phone, while the other one pointed the knife at him.
After taking the loot, the suspects told Hata-as to get down from the taxi, which they then used to make their getaway.
Insp. Pedro Quevedo, deputy chief of the Mabolo station, led his men in a follow-up operation but so far have yet to find positive results.
Hours later, a third taxi driver suffered from yet another attack.
Jumie Bojos, 32, of Poblacion-Pardo, who drives a ROC Taxi, was robbed of his day’s proceeds and stabbed in the chest by one of the four robbers.
The attack occurred along Highway Tagonol, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City.
Two of the four suspects were arrested and beaten up by an angry mob, while the two others were caught in a follow-up operation by the Theft and Robbery Section and the Mobile Patrol Group.
Arrested suspects Carlito Marañon, 25, and Constancio Dumeguera, 20, both of Warwick, Ermita, and Buenvenido Tamparong, 23, of Dalaguete, Cebu and Boyet Martinez, 30, of Trinidad, Bohol were charged with robbery yesterday. (JST/With RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 19, 2006 issue)
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