Man pretending to be hungry nabbed after taking minor’s cellphone in Barangay Mambaling

INSTEAD of helping the starving man by giving him money and food, a 17-year-old boy was victimized by him by stealing his smartphone.

The incident took place around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7, in Sitio Avocado, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

The minor victim, identified as Cris, a second-year ALS (Alternative Learning System) student from Sitio Tabada, Mambaling, stated that the 23-year-old suspect, Christopher Carbonilla Ladeon, of Deca Homes, Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City, approached him and asked for food because he was hungry.

He offered him a hamburger as a result, but Ladeon also requested for money, so he gave him P60.

In addition, the suspect took his cell phone, which he gave, because he would call somebody and at the same time asked him whether he recognized the female street sweeper.

The youngster looked at the woman and denied having seen her, but Ladeon immediately ran away with the phone.

"Gipugos ko niya palodan ang selpon kay naa siyay tawagan! Lisod na daw kaayo iyang pagpuyo sa Talisay kay papahawaon na sa iyang giabangan nga balay," Cris said.

(He forced me to buy a load because he had to call someone. According to him, he was living in misery because he was going to be kicked out of his rented house).

He said he chased the suspect with the help of some bystanders.

The suspect was finally arrested when roving policemen Staff Sergeants Jonas Ricaplaza and Bryan Romagos from the Mobile Patrol Division of Mambaling Police Station arrived.

The victim's cell phone worth P3,599 was recovered by the authorities.

The suspect acknowledged that he was only making an alibi to trick the victim.

The victim said he would press charges of robbery against the accused. (GPL, TPT)