Monday, July 28, 2003
Riding motorbike, female rob victim pursues 2 culprits
TWO suspected robbers from Cebu City were arrested by a joint team of Sogod and Catmon policemen after an auto supply store in Catmon town was robbed Saturday afternoon.
It took a 30-minute chase, led by the victim herself, to corner the suspects.
Senior Insp. Francisco Comahig, Catmon police chief, said the two probably felt the heat of police operations in Cebu City so they shifted to northern Cebu.
Crescencio Lolor Jr., 29, and Mathan Romapal, 22, both of Logarta St., Cebu City, did not expect their victim would run after them.
Ivy Ares, who was tending the store, chased the motorcycle-riding suspects until police help arrived.
Comahig said Ares, sister-in-law of the owner of Weeyah Auto Supply along the highway in Sitio Bangalga, Barangay Flores, Catmon, was inside the store around 3 p.m. when the two men arrived.
The two allegedly asked to buy a big canister of motor oil worth P117 and gave P500 as payment.
After Ares opened the cash drawer, giving the two men a view of how much cash was inside, she gave the change. Lolor drew out a .38 revolver and announced a hold-up.
They then took the P6,900 cash and Ares’ 8210 cellphone from the drawer before fleeing towards Sogod town onboard their motorcycle.
The cash, according to Comahig, was the proceeds of the storeowner’s mini-bus operation and was placed in the drawer for safekeeping.
Despite the initial shock, Ares gave chase with her motorcycle after instructing a neighbor to alert the town police.
“She even drove by the police station, but did not stop so she would not lose sight of the robbers,” Comahig said of Ares.
Ares overtook the two men when they reached Sogod’s municipal hall, located in an elevated area beside the police station.
Lolor and Romapal decided to ride back to Catmon town, perhaps to shake her off and fool the police.
But Ares also asked bystanders to alert the Sogod police, which likewise joined in the pursuit.
With policemen behind them and Catmon policemen closing in, the two men were forced to disembark. Both ran towards the shore in Barangay Bawo in Catmon town.
They were, however, forced to surrender after the policemen fired warning shots.
Comahig said Ares herself recovered her cellphone from Lolor and P4,970 from the two men.
He said a few bills could have fallen in the two men’s haste to divide the cash while being pursued, hence the discrepancy in the amount.
Comahig said they will seek the help of Cebu City police in checking the background of the two men.
Initially, however, he learned Lolor had two brothers currently in jail for the same offense.
The suspect’s motorcycle was impounded as evidence. RHM/With AIV |
