By Jennifer P. Rendon

Two persons were wounded after riding-in-tandem gunmen robbed them morning of Dec 12, 2022 in Roxas City, Capiz.

Victims Jovel Alparaque, 54, of Barangay Banica, Roxas City and Rhodora Vinson, 52, of Barangay XI, Roxas City, are employees of Maribert Corporation, which owns several fuel stations in Capiz.

Lieutenant Colonel Aron Palomo, Roxas City police chief, said the two suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Alparaque was hit on his stomach while Vinson got injured on her left arm.

According to reports, Alparaque was driving a tricycle to accompany Vinson around 10:20 a.m. to deposit the company’s earnings in a nearby bank.

While navigating the national road along Homesite in Barangay Lawaan, Alparaque noticed that a motorcycle was tailing them.

Shortly later, he saw the backrider pull a handgun.

Alparaque then suddenly made a U-turn but the suspect was quick to shoot him.

Alparaque then lost control of the vehicle.

Palomo said Vinson tried holding on to the bag containing the company’s money. It was then that one of the suspects shot her arm.

She loosened her grasp on the bag and the backrider grabbed it.

Around P187,878 in bills and coins were left scattered inside the tricycle.

Palomo said the streets were teeming with motorists when the incident happened.

The traffic went to a standstill for a moment until the suspects fled to Barangay Tiza.

Paloma said the company has yet to declare the stolen cash taken pending inventory. But he claimed that it was the gas station’s earnings since Friday.

Police have yet to identify the persons of interest behind the incident.