Looting Reported in Naga After Typhoon Strikes
LOOTING – Amid the devastation brought by Typhoon Kristine, reports of stealing in Naga City surfaced on social media, sparking outrage and concern. Several convenience stores and a supermarket were reportedly broken into by residents, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the typhoon.
A Facebook post by netizen Carlo Kenneth Brizuela on October 23, 2024, went viral, showing men carrying bottles of liquor, presumably looted from a convenience store. The store, located on Ateneo Avenue, had its glass windows broken, which allowed the looters to enter. Brizuela condemned the act, expressing frustration over how some people took advantage of the disaster to steal instead of helping those in need.
In addition to the convenience store incident, a larger supermarket, Cabral Bicolandia Supermarket (CBS), also fell victim to looting. CBS confirmed that people forcibly entered their establishment and stole goods, contrary to a circulating social media post falsely claiming that the supermarket was giving away free groceries. The supermarket clarified that they were in no way distributing goods for free and that the looting was an unauthorized act.
CBS also revealed that the looters had stolen their vault and all the remaining cash from their registers. The management shared that they were planning a relief operation for the affected residents of Naga, but the looters had already taken most of the goods that were intended for donation.
The supermarket has requested assistance from the public, urging anyone who witnesses unauthorized individuals entering their premises to report it immediately. Despite the loss, CBS remains focused on recovering from the incident and continuing to serve the community.
As of now, the local government of Naga City has not issued an official statement addressing the looting incidents. The public awaits further clarification or response from local authorities regarding the situation, as the affected businesses struggle to recover from both the typhoon’s impact and the criminal activities that have taken place.