Cebu City mayor to police: Solve downtown robbery in 48 hours

Armed men robbed two pawnshops in downtown Cebu City at past 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 8. | Screenshot from contributed video via Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has given the police here a deadline to solve the robberies that hit two pawnshops in one of the busiest areas in the city.

Garcia on Thursday, August 8, announced that the police would have 48 hours to solve the robberies that took place along F. Calderon Street, right in front of Carbon Public Market.

In a teleconference interview with reporters, the acting mayor expressed disappointment that such a crime happened in broad daylight, right within the vicinity of the largest public markets in the city where several police outposts were situated.

A police station is also located just a few meters away from the pawnshops.

READ MORE:

2 pawnshops in downtown Cebu City robbed in broad daylight

Garcia tells Cañete to focus on crime prevention to stay at CCPO

Danao retail store robbery possibly an ‘inside job’ – police

“I’m very disappointed that this happened in the City of Cebu,” said Garcia.

“We will investigate this matter and akong ipatawag si Col. (Antonietto) Cañete karung hapon and investigate this matter, and I will give him exactly 48  hours to solve… and find the culprits,” he said.

(We will investigate this matter and I will call Col. (Antonietto) Cañete this afternoon and investigate this matter, and I will give him exactly 48 hours to solve… and find the culprits.)

If the police here would fail to solve the case even if the deadline had lapsed, then Garcia said that he might reconsider endorsing Cañete as the new director of the city police.

READ MORE: 

Pawnshop robbery: 3 more persons identified in ‘robbery group’

Laguna shop loses 100 iPhones to robbers

“One of my instructions (to him) was to fight criminality and then mao ni nahitabo sa morning,” he said.

(One of my instructions (to him) was to fight criminality and then this is what happened in the morning.)

The acting mayor said that he had not formally made his recommendation to have Cañete as the new police chief in the city.

Cañete was named as the new director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) last July 26.

At least P10 million worth of jewelry was stolen from the two pawnshops by a still unidentified group of robbers who were seen wearing long-sleeves and full helmets.