By Jennifer P. Rendon
Two women were injured after they put up a fight against a knife-wielding robber at Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan late evening of May 3.
Police identified the victims as Beverly Mae Leones, 21, a service crew of a fast food joint from Barangay Libertad, Nabas, Aklan; and Juwilyn Sinag, 23, of Barangay Toledo, Nabas.
Police claimed the incident happened near King Fisher Resort and Farm located at Sitio Lugutan, Barangay Manoc-Manoc at around 10:40 p.m. Wednesday but it was only reported to police authorities at 3:20 a.m. Thursday.
According to reports, the two victims were walking in an alley to their boarding house when they noticed that someone was tailing them.
The man then poked a kitchen knife at Sinag while uttering, “Ambi ang imu nga cellphone.” (Give me your mobile phone.)
Sinag allegedly handed him the phone but the suspect still repeatedly stabbed her.
Leones tried to help by grabbing the man’s shirt, but the assailant stabbed her, too.
Leones was hit on the abdomen and left leg.
The suspect quickly fled.
The victims were rushed to the hospital and were subsequently released after treatment.
Lieutenant Colonel Don Dicksie de Dios, Malay police chief, said they learned about the incident a few hours later after a hospital personnel called their station.
“We immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation and arrested the suspect two hours later,” he said.
Twenty-five-year-old Jerry Alarcon, who hails from Mindoro province, was arrested while walking several meters away from where the crime scene happened.
The suspect apparently went to his rented space, changed his clothes, packed his things, and was believed to be heading home when nabbed.
De Dios said that the hoodie he wore during the robbery was found inside his backpack.
Later on, he led police investigators to where he threw the knife he used in attacking the two women.
“He initially thought we were PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) operatives,” de Dios said.
When police accosted Alarcon, he claimed, “wala akong item,” which could be referring to illegal drugs.
The suspect told policemen that he only tried to rob the victims so he can go home to Mindoro.
Meanwhile, de Dios stressed that the incident was an isolated case.
In more than two years as Malay police chief, he claimed there was no robbery incident until what happened on Wednesday.
Alarcon is now detained and will be charged accordingly.
