CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Internet Cafe in Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City where the male cashier was robbed and killed Friday night, August 23, did have a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV).
But police said that the CCTV recording that they now have is almost useless because it was blurry making it difficult for them to identify the gunman, who was wearing a hooded jacket and face cover.
Police Staff Segeant Marciano Verdida of the Pajac Police Station, said they are now waiting for witnesses to step forward to help in the resolution of the robbery and murder of Internet Cafe cashier Francisco Jakosalem.
Jakosalem, 25, was about to close Miles Internet Cafe, where he works as a cashier, at around 11 p.m. on Friday when the still unidentified gunman walked into the Cafe. The gunman fired a shot at Jakosalem, hitting the victim on the right side of his head, before carting the P7, 000 cash which he earned for the day.
Police do not discount the possibility that the gunman had a lookout who was waiting for him outside of the Internet Cafe.
Verdida said they are now checking if nearby establishments have CCTVs that may have recorded the arrival and departure of the suspect/s in Jakosalem’s killing.
He said the police station received a call from a concerned citizen on Friday night to report a shooting incident at the Miles Internet Cafe in Sitio Abuno, but said informant no longer gave additional information to the police investigators.
“Wala pud ni step forward ang concerned citizen nga ni tawag about the shooting incident,” said Verdida.
(The caller who told us of the shooting incident no longer stepped forward.)
Verdida is asking the caller and other witnesses to visit their office and help solve Jakosalem’s killing.
“Pwede man sila maka ari sa police station unya kana tanang detalye nga ihatag nila kay confidential man gihapon para dili ma resgo ilaha safety,” said Verdida.
(They can visit the police station and we assure them that every information that they will give will be treated with confidentiality to also ensure their safety.)
Jakosalem, a resident of Barangay Labogon in Mandaue City, functions as cashier and attendant of the Miles Internet Cafe while the establishment did not also have a security guard.
Based on their initial investigation, Verdida said that the lone gunman, who was wearing a hooded jacket walked into the Internet Cafe, while Jakosalem was counting his earnings for the day. The suspect also used a cloth to cover his mouth and nose.
Verdida said that the suspect poked a gun at Jakosalem. But the victim tried to fight back which prompted the still unidentified gunman to fire a shot hitting Jakosalem on the right side of his head. |dcb