Police Files

Man steals money from church 

A MAN on Thursday was caught allegedly stealing money from the donation box of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City.

Gerick Polo, a native of Baybay town in Leyte, said he was forced to steal since he needed money for his boat fare.

Police said Polo was caught by security guards using a wire to snag money bills from the donation box.

They said the man was able to get three P20-bills from the box.

SPO4 Ernesto Caballero said it was not the first time that Polo was caught by security guards stealing money from the donation box.

A charge of simple theft will be filed on Monday against Polo, said police./CORRESPONDENT CARMEL LOISE M. MATUS

Ex-security guard caught with gun

POLICE arrested a former security guard who was caught bringing an unlicensed firearm while he was about to board a passenger vessel in Pier 4, Cebu City yesterday morning.

A .22 pistol was found in the bag of Michael Angelo Labringa while he was passing through routine inspection inside the 2GO terminal where he was supposed to board a vessel bound for Cagayan de Oro City.

The firearm was detected through an X-ray machine.

Labringa, a native of Butuan City,  said he brought the firearm to protect himself.

Labringa will be charged with violation of the election gun ban and illegal possession of firearm.

In Mandaue City, a 43-year-old man was arrested after he was caught carrying a firearm outside his house last Thursday morning.

Hendry Adolfo was allegedly caught by police with a .38 revolver with four bullets in his right hand in sitio Tambis, barangay Casuntingan.

Police had gone to the area around 6 a.m. after receiving an armed person alarm.

Adolfo threw the gun to the ground when he saw the police.  The man tried to run to his house but was cornered by police.

Aside from facing charges for violating the election gun ban, the man is also facing charges of usurpation of authority after an identification card of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was found in his wallet.

Police said the ID bore the name of Lito Ermac but with Adolfo’s name on it.

Police said they will coordinate with the PDEA to find out how Adolfo was able to obtain the ID./CORRESPONDENT CARMEL LOISE M. MATUS and reporter JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS