‘Highway thieves’ run away with P1.5-M cash

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

Police have yet to come up with persons of interest behind a broad daylight robbery in Passi City, Iloilo.

While only two persons carried out the robbery, they may have had cohorts who served as back-up and lookouts, Passi City police chief Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Pamonag said.

The incident happened around 1 p.m. of March 28 as the two motorcycle-riding victims were navigating Barangay Agdahon, Passi City.

Reports said that Joan Sequito and Cherry Tabilid, employees of LALAC Hardware based in Calinog, Iloilo, were on their way to Passi City on board a motorcycle when the incident happened.

Sequito, 39, a resident of Barangay Hilwan Calinog was driving the motorcycle while Tabilid, 36, of Poblacion Delgado, Calinog, was his back rider.

The duo was supposed to deposit their weekly earnings in two banks located in Passi City when the robbery happened.

They claimed that the riding-in-tandem suspects struck their motorcycle from behind.

This caused them to fall to the ground with Sequito pinned by the motorcycle.

The back riding suspect immediately alighted from the vehicle and aimed his caliber .38 revolver at Tabilid.

The woman claimed the suspect told her “hold-up, hold-up.”

He immediately grabbed Tabilid’s bag containing P1,568,000 cash, a mobile phone, and her wallet containing P2,000.

The heist was completed in less than a minute.

Pamonag said the suspect made a left turn upon reaching Passi City proper and may have proceeded to Calinog or Bingawan town.

It was gathered that it has been a routine of the hardware store to deposit their weekly earnings every Monday. In some instances, they go to the bank Tuesdays.

“We’re considering every angle, including inside job,” he said.

Sequito has been working with the company for five years while Tabilid has been employed for seven years.

Pamonag is also not discounting the possibility that the suspects could also be behind or connected with the group that was behind the earlier robbery incidents in the said part of the province.