Former waiter snatches woman’s phone, gets caught, pleads to victim not to file case

Former waiter, who snatched woman’s cellphone in downtown Cebu City, gets caught by bystanders, roughed up and turned over to police. The suspect at the detention cell pleads to victim not to file case against him. | STOCK PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A former waiter, who was roughed up by bystanders and jailed after he snatched a phone of a woman inside a passenger jeepney in downtown Cebu City on Monday, November 6, is pleading to the victim not to file charges against him.

The 26-year-old man of Barangay Labangon, Cebu City, who was interviewed by CDN Digital on November 7, made his plea to the victim since he had a three-year-old child.

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Former waiter on why he snatched phone

The man said that he only did what he did because he fought with his live-in partner and that he did not have money anymore to support their child.

But Police Major Miles Damoslog, chief of the Carbon Police Station, called on victims of snatching to visit the office and see if this was the person responsible for stealing their things.

According to witnesses, the man, who was on the side of the street between the intersection of Osmeña Boulevard and Colon Street at past 6 p.m. on Monday, November 6, allegedly snatched the cellphone of a woman inside a traditional passenger jeepney.

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Caught by bystanders

But, when the woman screamed, the suspected snatcher panicked and threw the cellphone on the road, and ran.

Bystanders, however, chased and caught up with the suspected snatcher and roughed him up.

The cellphone of the victim was also retrieved and returned to her.

The suspect was turned over to the police and was detained at the Carbon Police Station pending the filing of charges.

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