Metrobriefs

P1.5M in cigarettes stolen

A GROUP of men made off with more than P1.5-million worth of cigarettes in front of a funeral parlor in Manila on Monday. Based on a police report, the robbers seized a Mitsubishi Canter aluminum van (Plate No. XTW 900) of IDS Philippines containing 160 boxes of Philip Morris products. Manila Police District anti-carnapping and hijacking unit head Chief Inspector Randy Maluyo said the hijacking took place at the corner of President Quirino Avenue and Adriatico Street in Malate. Maluyo revealed that before the hijacking, the van was about to deliver the cigarettes to a grocery store in front of a funeral parlor when a Toyota Revo stopped beside the vehicle. “A witness at the site claimed that three heavily armed men alighted from the Revo and ordered the driver and his helpers to get off the van at gunpoint.”—Jeannette I. Andrade

Manual recount underway

THE first day of the manual recount of the Manila mayoral election results went smoothly Tuesday. The recount was prompted by former mayor Lito Atienza, who filed a protest against Mayor Alfredo Lim, the winner. An initial 10 ballot boxes, representing votes cast in the fourth district, were brought from the Commission on Elections warehouse to the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros for the recount. Each one contained around 500 ballots each.—Jaymee T. Gamil