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| STA. BARBARA -- A Philippine Army (PA) officer was allegedly held up over the weekend by three unidentified men at a village in this Pangasinan town. The victim was Army Major Roland Garin, 39, a resident of Barangay Gueguesangen, Mangaldan. Taken from him was his traveling bag that contained US$7,000, his caliber .45 pistol service firearm, a cell phone, an Army identification card, an ATM. The US$7,000 was allegedly sent to him by a relative in the US. Sta. Barbara Police Chief Mateo Casupang said they are conducting an investigation on the matter. He said was some two hours before the incident was reported to their office. At 5 a.m. Saturday, Casupang said an investigator from the Dagupan City Police Station (DCPS) called up and informed them that Garin, who sustained a gunshot wound in the shoulder, was confined at the Trauma Specialist Hospital. A report said the victim came from Manila on board a Victory Liner bus. He was supposed to alight at the junction in Barangay Tuliao in Sta. Barbara and take a tricycle to his home from there but he fell asleep in the bus. Garin instead alighted in Barangay Bued, Calasiao and walked for about 15 minutes back to Barangay Tuliao. While walking, the robbers on board a motorcycle approached the Army officer and at gunpoint told him to hand over them his traveling bag. The victim attempted to run after giving the robbers his bag but the thieves shot him in the right shoulder. (Sun.Star Pangasinan/Sunnex) |