AGTATAKAW TI BUA in Baguio: Three sacks of betel nut worth P25,500 ‘buanished’; Two women identified as suspects

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Three sacks of betel nut worth P25,500 were stolen from a roadside stall overnight, but CCTV footage helped the vendor trace the missing goods to a public market and identify two women suspected of taking them.

The incident happened at around 3:36 a.m. on November 10 along Lakandula Street, according to a police blotter report obtained by DZWT News and Information.

The 52-year-old vendor had left five sacks of betel nut at the stall at around 11:10 p.m. on November 9. When the vendor returned the following morning, three sacks were missing.

The vendor reviewed footage from a CCTV camera installed in the area and saw two women allegedly hiring a taxi and loading the three sacks into the vehicle.

The vendor later searched for the missing goods and found them at Block 4 of the Baguio City Public Market, where the two women were also reportedly recognized.

Police identified the suspects as 29 and 34 years old, both residents of Baguio City. They are facing a theft complaint in connection with the incident.

Police said the three sacks had been recovered but remained in their custody as evidence in the case.

The incident recalls another reported betel nut theft in Baguio City in April 2026, when a 37-year-old man was arrested for allegedly taking two bags of betel nut from a locked stall at Block 4, Kayang-Hilltop.

In that case, a patrolling police officer reportedly caught the suspect cutting the nylon rope securing the stall.