Highway robbers cart away P100,000 worth of cash, items in Surigao

SURIGAO CITY — Highway robbers, who have sown fear among commuters and motorists traveling the national highway connecting the provinces of the CARAGA region, have struck again. Three men armed with .45 cal pistols held up and robbed at least 10 passengers of a Surigao City-bound Hyundai-Grace van that was traveling along the national highway in Barangay Alipao, Alegria, Surigao del Norte, at around 8 p.m. Nov. 17, according to belated police reports. Surigao del Norte Provincial Police Office here said the gray van with plate number LYE 504 was coming from Butuan City when three of its passengers, all with the lower part of their faces covered with the native scarves or“tubaw, announced a hold up. One of the suspects, who was seated beside the driver, pulled his pistol and declared the hold up, and ordered the driver to park the van at the side of the road. The two other robbers, both armed and seated at the back of the van, then ordered all passengers to surrender their wallets, mobile phones, jewelry and other valuable items. The cash and items carted away amounted to more than P100,000.00. The Surigao del Norte police office said it immediately dispatched a team to investigate the scene of the crime, which is about 39 kilometers away from the city. - Ben Serrano/DM, GMANews.TV