Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Wounded guard denies involvement in Liloan gasoline station robbery
TWENTY-TWO days after the heist of a gasoline station in Liloan, Cebu that left two pump boys dead, the security guard who got hurt and was eventually implicated in the crime came out to deny the allegation.
John Rey Tizon, 25, together with his mother, Josephine, interviewed by reporters, in his hospital bed at the PNP 7 Hospital inside the Camp Sotero Cabahug said he was not aware about the plan of his fellow security guard Renante Barbero and the two other employees of the gasoline station, pump boy Martin Ygot and cashier Jane Marie Sabelliza to rob the gasoline station.
Tizon, Barbero and the two other employees were charged with robbery with double homicide.
Supt. Rex Derilo of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 said Tizon and Barbero have been named primary suspects in the heist.
The gasoline station owned by Roland Sanoria lost P200,000 while pump boys Johnny Arnecoso, 16, of Mandaue City and Erwin Pakatang, 19, of Batuan, Bohol died in the incident.
Barbero, in an earlier interview, tagged Tizon as the one who shot and killed Arnecoso and Pakatang.
Sabelliza, on the other hand, pointed to Tizon and Barbero as the ones who planned out the robbery.
Tizon, however, told reporters yesterday he was not aware about the plan.
He named Barbero as the mastermind in the robbery.
He said at around 1 a.m. last July 28, while he was rendering his duty at the gasoline station, the light and the security camera suddenly went out.
Barbero reportedly asked Tizon to go with him in checking the electricity. Before walking, Barbero allegedly asked for Tizon’s shotgun.
After taking the shotgun, Barbero allegedly struck his head with the butt of the firearm. Tizon said he lost his consciousness.
He said he no longer knew what happened next. He was not also aware how he got the stabwound on the right portion of his body.
He said he is a victim of a set up.
Tizon said he is willing to cooperate with the investigation of the CIDG 7 on the robbery.
Josephine, in a separate interview, said her son is not foolish to get involved in the robbery.
She said Tizon was not familiar with the other employees of the gasoline station including Barbero because it was only his sixth day in the job when the robbery occurred.
Derilo said they will evaluate Tizon’s statement. (JST)
