By Jennifer P. Rendon
Authorities are conducting a manhunt for two motorcycle-riding suspects who robbed a woman lending collector on the afternoon of May 27 in Maasin, Iloilo.
Erovela Magie Layno, 33, a loan officer at a lending firm and resident of Barangay Tisa, Roxas City, Capiz, was traveling through a secluded part of Barangay Tuy-an East, Maasin, when she was ambushed by a lone gunman around 3:30 p.m.
Layno said she had to slow down to navigate a curve when the gunman appeared and pointed a gun at her.
Without uttering a word, the man compelled the frightened Layno to hand over her backpack, which contained PHP 37,000 in collection money, a Lenovo tablet, an Infinix Note 10 Pro mobile phone, several identification cards, and documents.
After the robbery, the gunman casually walked to a waiting motorcycle driven by a woman.
The suspects did not wear helmets but concealed their faces with improvised masks made from shirts. They sped off towards Barangay Budlay, Cabatuan town.
Major Jose Nemias Pamplona, Maasin police chief, said CCTV footage corroborated Layno’s statement that a man and a woman on a motorcycle robbed her.
Regarding Layno collecting dues alone, Pamplona said, “She got too confident maybe. She’s been working in the same lending company for seven years already.”
However, she had been covering the Cabatuan-Maasin route for just two months.
As of now, police have identified persons of interest in the case.
