Police files

MANDAUE FIRE RAZES 3 HOUSES

A DAWN fire caused by an unattended kerosene lamp razed three houses in barangay Casuntingan, Mandaue City, yesterday.

The fire broke out at 2:15 a.m. and was contained about 20 minutes after it was reported.

The fire started at the house of Lea Basubas then spread to nearby houses, said SFO1 Roy Garcia of the Mandaue City Department.

The fire spread quickly because the three houses were made of light materials.

Damage was pegged at P1,000.

Garcia said a cat may have toppled a lighted kerosene lamp in the living room.

Firefighters had to connect their hoses to reach the fire scene, about 400 meters from where the firetruck were parked./CORRESPONDENTS NORMAN V MENDOZA AND CARINE M. ASUTILLA

CABBIE ROBBED IN TALISAY

A TAXI driver was robbed by four men who posed as passengers in barangay Tabunok, Talisay City, southern Cebu, at dawn  yesterday.

Antonio Lerio, 37, of barangay Lawaan, Dumanjug town, said he lost P2,650 in proceeds during the robbery.

Lerio, driver of 6 Sense taxi with plate number GXE-525, told police that four men flagged him down on Junquera Street, Cebu City, and asked to be brought to barangay Cansojong in Talisay.

The passengers later instructed him to proceed to Tabunok.

While they were traveling, Lerio said one of the men grabbed him by the neck and declared a holdup.

The driver jumped off the taxi when he heard one of the passengers cock a gun.

Lerio ran to the Talisay City Police Office to report the robbery.

The taxicab was later found abandoned in barangay Lawaan I.

Operation to arrest the robbers is ongoing, said police./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC

MAN NABBED IN DRUG BUY-BUST

A 47-YEAR-OLD man was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, last Monday night.

Four packs of suspected were recovered from Salvador Monteal, said police.

Police said Monteal was arrested after selling a pack of shabu worth P200 to a poseur-buyer past 11 p.m. in sitio Kamunggay.

The man was detained at the Opao police precinct pending the filing of charges against him, said police./REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS