Vizcaya bandits take P1.5 M gold ore, cash

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – An unidentified armed group ran away with some P1.5 million in cash and raw gold after robbing the houses of three small-scale miners at a remote mountain village in Quezon town Sunday evening.

Authorities identified the victims of the robbery which took place at around 7 p.m. as Noel Bandao, 46; Renato Pumihik, 46; and Noel Habiling, 39, all of Sitio Bit-ang, Runruno village.

Reports showed the hooded men armed with M-16 rifles and other short firearms first robbed the residence of Habiling where they took about 172 grams of gold worth P258,000 and some P100,000 cash.

At Pumihik’s house, the robbers stole around 200 grams of gold worth P300,000, P250,000 cash and a .45 caliber pistol.

The bandits also took 100 grams of gold worth P150,000 and P500,000 cash from Bandao.

Police have launched a manhunt operation against the suspects.