Batanes coffee shop ransacked

IVANA, Batanes -- The world-reknown Honest Coffee Shop here that boasts of probably being the only store in the whole world without anyone tending it was ransacked and emptied of items and valuables recently.

While Elena Gabilo and her husband attended the early dawn Mass on December 24., a few meters away from their house, the coffee shop was forcibly opened.

Among the valuables taken by the robbers were, bottles of Ginebra San Miguel gin, and dried fish.

The owner of the coffee shop not reported the incident to the local police. "Of what use will it be to report it to the police?," "They only make it appear that they are helpless in all that is happening in town, if only to show that our town has a 'zero' crime rate," Gabilo said.

Additionally, the Treasurer's office was also ransacked early morning of Dec. 24.
The first ransacked on Sept. 22 about P82,000, during the height of typhoon.

Police have not conducted any serious investigation, and no suspect ever been invited, it was only entered as a minor incident.

Then wednesday , while everyone tending dawn Mass, the treasurer's Office was again emptied, at least P30,000 was lost to still unknown robbers..

Officials, Police of the local government maintained tight - lip and not conducted any investigation , maybe they don't want the people of the outside world to know that crime exist in this small town.. No safe place in this country anymore.

I remember Julia Campbell, who was murdered in the Cordillera Administrative Region, one of the peaceful town there was shocke by the report that Campbell was murdered, that later the murderer was Dontogan.