OFW victim of Bacolod ‘Basag-Kotse’ heist

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – A van was burglarized along Lacson Street in Barangay 38, resulting in the loss of over P60,000 in cash.

The van belonged to an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) and his family, who were visiting from Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

Police Major Elmer Bonilla, the head of Police Station 1, disclosed that the OFW and his family had checked in at a local inn on Tuesday night before planning to return to their hometown.

The discovery of their vehicle’s smashed windshield and driver’s side window was made the following morning, along with the realization that the cash, alongside important documents, had been stolen.

The inn’s lack of surveillance has prompted the police to search for CCTV footage from neighboring establishments that might shed light on the identity of the culprit/s.

In the wake of the incident, the OFW, whose identity remains undisclosed, recounted the decision to leave their belongings in the vehicle due to exhaustion from their trip to Boracay.

“Wala sa isip ko eh. Babalikan ko dapat (iyong mga gamit) by 11 p.m. Naisip ko parang safe naman,” the OFW said, expressing an oversight caused by fatigue.

The theft has far-reaching implications for the OFW, who faces difficulties in his impending return overseas on April 16 due to the missing documents.

As of now, the police have not determined how many individuals were involved in the crime. There is also a sense of bafflement among the officers as to why the valuables and money were left in plain sight in the vehicle.

Major Bonilla emphasized the importance of CCTV in aiding the police to identify those responsible for the crime.

The case remains open, with the police continuing their investigation in hopes of bringing the perpetrators to justice and possibly recovering the stolen items.