BY: VANESSA BUGTONG

Panic and fear gripped residents of Barangay Poblacion on Tuesday afternoon, April 29, after four armed men stormed a pawnshop and fired gunshots before fleeing with over a hundred thousand pesos worth of jewelry.

In a video taken by a concerned resident, people can be seen crowding along the street, many of them suddenly running away as loud gunshots echoed in the background.

The footage also showed shattered glass from the pawnshop’s entrance, a chilling aftermath of the heist that occurred just before 2 PM.

Princess Fernandez, a witness, recalled the terrifying moment. “I was fixing the refrigerator for our goods when I noticed men carrying big guns. One of them suddenly pointed a gun at me. I panicked and hid, I was afraid I’d get caught in the crossfire,” she said.

Another witness, Shiela Mae Gumalog, initially thought someone was simply causing a scene. “At first, I thought it was just a drunk man breaking glass. But when I heard gunshots, my child pulled me away and we ran inside,” she shared.

The suspects took jewelry valued at more than 100,000 pesos, according to the initial investigation by the Pozorrubio Police.

Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident, but it left many residents shaken.

“The trauma was overwhelming,” Fernandez added. “Last night I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I kept remembering what happened. It was the first time something like that happened to us.”

In a statement, the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office said a dragnet operation is underway to apprehend the suspects.

The Pozorrubio Police have yet to release an official comment but assured the public that an in-depth investigation is ongoing.

The pawnshop management also declined to issue a statement.