City cops strengthen monitoring vs lootings in Agdao public market

AMID the alleged continuous looting on the sidewalks of Agdao Public Market in Davao City, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), particularly Sta. Ana Police Station strengthens its monitoring to identify and arrest the robbers.

According to Sta. Ana Police deputy station commander Police Capt. Rizalito Clapiz III, they will conduct strict intelligence monitoring to catch those responsible for the looting activities in Agdao market.

“Ginasubay na nato kini, ug mas gipahugtan nato atong pag-monitor sa dapit aron maila ug mangasikop nato ang mga posible nga responsable (We are investigating the incident and strengthened our monitoring in the area to identify and arrest those responsible),” Clapiz told Superbalita in an phone interview.

The official added that they requested the sidewalk vendors in the area not to leave important items, especially money, in their boxes in their stalls.

“Hangyoon lang nato ning atong mga sidewalk vendors sa Agdao Public Market nga dili magbilin og kuwarta ug bisan mga importante nga gamit, kay perte ning maro-a ang atong mga ginatan-aw karon nga posibleng mga suspetsado (We will request the side walk vendors in Agdao Public Market not to leave money or important items, because our possible suspects are very scheming),” he said.

Earlier, a certain Rico Espragoza Gomez, grandson of an old sidewalk vendor named Ernesto Catienza Gomez Sr., posted on social media the incident that happened to his grandfather.

“Oktubre 14, 2023 pag-abot ni Tatay sa iyang gamay nga store, nabungkag ug naguba na ang ubos nga bahin sa iyang store. Naguol intawon ang tiguwang, naghuot ang dughan sa nahitabo, diin dili lang ni aka usa nahitabo, or ikaduha, kundi ikalima na nahitabo (October 14, 2023 when Tatay arrived in his small store, he found the lower part of his store in disarray and destroyed. The old man was heartbroken in the incident, wherein it did not only happen once, twice, but five times already),” Rico told Superbalita in a separate interview.

Rico added that his grandfather lost more or less P3,000 as earnings, something that already alarmed them as it might happen to fellow sidewalk vendors as well.

Rico also said that it has been reported to the Sta. Ana Police Station and Barangay Agdao Proper, but there is no result yet as to the investigation of the authorities.

“Naa natay ginahimo ana nga aksyon. Niadto pa gani atoa na kanang ginahupo-hupoan diha aron maila ug madakpan ang mga responsable (We are already acting on it. In fact, we are conducting monitoring already to identify and arrest those responsible),” Clapiz said.

According to the data of the DCPO in their focus crime statistics from January 1 to September 30, 2023, the cases of robbery in Davao City decreased by 56.8 percent, from 58 cases during the same months last year down to 33 cases this year. JPC