2 men set Peter Lim’s bar on fire

A bar owned by controversial Cebubased businessman Peter Lim was allegedly set on fire by two unidentified men yesterday dawn.

Since the security guards of the New Cebu Infinity KTV & Music Lounge were at the guard house that time, a guard at the adjacent establishment identified as Winston Estrope caught the attention of the two men who were wearing bonnets.

Estrope told police investigators that a white cream van stopped in front of the KTV bar, which is located on Archbishop Reyes Avenue in Cebu City, past 4 a.m. yesterday.

He said the two men alighted from the van and one of them allegedly pointed a gun at his face and disarmed him of his .3 caliber service firearm.

Senior Inspector Greg Ybiernas told The FREEMAN that Estrope was reportedly held by one of the perpetrators at gunpoint while the other man began burning plastic containers and then threw them onto the bar’s rooftop.

The men then ran back to the vehicle and drove towards the direction of Upper Tojong, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.

Other workers of the establishment immediately helped douse the fire. The roofing was only partially burned, with damages estimated at P15,000.

Ybiernas said that they are not discounting possibility that the men may be harboring personal grudges against the owners of the bar, the Lim brothers Peter and Wellington.

However, police investigation is leaning towards robbery as the motive, considering that the two were able to take away the guard's service firearm.

"Tingali ang tuyo ani nila ang armas ra sa gwardiya. Sa karon gisubay pa nato kay wala pa man ma-identify sa gwardiya," Ybiernas said over the phone.

This is not the first time the KTV bar figured in the news.

In March, a guard was killed when he was hit by bullets aimed at the vehicle ridden by Wellington just outside the establishment.

Wellington scampered to safety onboard a black Ford Expedition which was bullet-proofed.

Although the counsels of Wellington claimed it was him inside the car, the police did not officially declare him as the victim since they refused to subscribe to an official affidavit.—

Mae Clydyl L.