2 foreigners face raps for robbery

CEBU, Philippines - Two foreigners were sued for robbery after they allegedly ransacked the house of a certain Emerlinda Taboada in Badian.

Police Senior Inspector Almirante Bacayo of Badian Police Station filed the complaint last Friday against Danish National Michael Friis and American National Thomas Leroy-Cooper before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

In her affidavit, Taboada, 59 years old of Barangay Malhiao, Badian Cebu, stated that on June 13, 2012 she received a text message from her sons informing her that the respondents entered their house and took their appliances without asking permission.

She said the respondents forcibly destroyed their main door and took their 28-inch Sony TV worth P20,000; a 14-inch Samsung TV worth P4,000; two speakers Kingfisher worth P3,000 and two mobile phone chargers worth P250 each.

Taboada said the respondents took the appliances and fled despite her son’s objections. She learned later that her other son failed to pay the P5,000 he owed Friis.

“It was probably the motive why they took the said items. But the manner of taking the property and the amount involved of all the property taken from us is tantamount of a clear violation of the law,” she stated in her affidavit.

Taboada reported the incident to a police station, prompting the return of her appliances. The Badian police investigated the matter Friis voluntarily turned over before all the items.

Friis is temporarily residing at Sitio Highway, Barangay Poblacion, Badian while Cooper is a resident of Barangay Balabagon, Moalboal.

In the joint affidavit of Carlo Jayno and Gerald Taboada who witnessed the incident, they said the foreigners refused to listen to them and instead proceeded with taking the items.

— (FREEMAN)