A 54-year-old businesswoman fell victim to an alleged daylight robbery after two armed suspects barged into her stall inside the City Arcade along S.K. Pendatun Avenue in Cotabato City around 12:30 p.m. on May 7, 2026.
The victim, identified only by the alias “Mera” (also referred to in initial reports as “Amera”), is married and a resident of Rosary Heights 5, Cotabato City.
According to the initial investigation conducted by the Cotabato City Police Office, the robbery appeared to have been carefully planned. Authorities said an unidentified woman first entered the victim’s stall pretending to be a customer while holding a cellphone and seemingly sending text messages.
Moments later, two unidentified male suspects wearing black bonnets suddenly entered the establishment. One of the suspects allegedly pointed a blue-colored firearm at the victim while his companion forcibly grabbed a gray sling bag containing approximately ₱55,000 in cash, several identification cards, and the keys to the victim’s house.
After seizing the bag, the suspects immediately fled the scene aboard a motorcycle without a license plate and sped toward the southbound area.
The brazen robbery caused alarm among vendors and customers in the busy commercial area, with many expressing concern over the boldness of the suspects who struck in broad daylight.
Responding operatives from Police Station 1 under the leadership of Teofisto R. Ferrer Jr. immediately launched a hot pursuit operation and ordered a lockdown of nearby Police Visibility Posts (PVPs) in an effort to intercept the fleeing suspects.
Authorities are also retrieving and reviewing CCTV footage from nearby establishments that may help identify the suspects and trace their escape route.
Police investigators are continuing their follow-up investigation to determine the identities of the perpetrators, including the woman believed to have acted as a lookout or accomplice in the robbery.
The incident adds to growing concerns over criminal activities targeting business owners and cash handlers in commercial centers, prompting calls for heightened police visibility and tighter security measures in crowded public marketplaces across Cotabato City.