Church robber nabbed

The suspect who allegedly robbed Saint Joseph de Patriarch Parish in Mabolo, Cebu City and took away P400,000 was arrested past 10 p.m. last Tuesday.

Cebu City Police Office City Director Joel Doria said with the arrest of Alexander Lumapac, the case is already considered solved.

The police caught Lumapac after a Mambaling-based barangay peacemaker recognized his face from the news.

He immediately alerted authorities, with personnel from the Mabolo and Mambaling police stations responding to the alarm.

Authorities found in Lumapac’s boarding house a bag containing P214,000 that was believed to be what was left of the P400,000.

A motorcycle unit, a flat screen television, electric fan, and several other items were also found, aside from P20,000 in rental fee for the boarding house.

Superintendent Emelie Santos, Mabolo Police Station chief, said Lumapac also gave money to his girlfriend.

The suspect allegedly knocked unconscious postulant Roxanne Valmoria, who held the cash key, last Sunday, by punching her three times in the face.

Because he was a former helper and part scholar of the church, he was familiar with its passageways so that he was able to evade being caught by the CCTV cameras.

Valmoria was taken to the Perpetual Succour Hospital 6 a.m. last Monday.

In an interview, Lumapac said hunger and desperation prompted him to commit the crime.

He, however, alleged that he had an accomplice named Marwi, who was the one who burglarized the church. His only participation, he said, was that he provided a sketch of the interior of the church to guide Marwi.

“Ang iya participation, siyay naghimo sa sketch sa sulod, mao to ingon niya, ang maong gihinganlan og Marwi mao ang nisud,” Santos said.

Lumapac claimed that he only acted as lookout and that he and Marwi agreed that they would split the cash. The police, though, doubted his claim.

Santos said most of stolen cash was recovered in Lumapac’s boarding house. Mabolo police are already preparing a robbery with physical injuries complaint against Lumapac.