Philippine police refute false claim that 'string of robberies' targeted restaurants in April 2023

"Be careful eating out," warns a Facebook post published on April 7.

"Namiya Izakaya... the small jap Resto at sct tobias, beside Panaderia closed today, last night armed men robbed owner including customers, took total 100 thousand cash + jewellery + cellphones!!!

"Banawe Starbucks beside UCC held up last night.. in just 1 minute..

"Shangrila chinese seafood cuisine at times st. Near kowloon house held up yesterday afternoon 1:00pm took almost 250k worth cash, cellphones, bags from customers while eating lunch."

The three establishments mentioned are all located in Quezon City, a suburb of the capital Manila.

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Screenshot of the false post taken on April 16, 2023.

Similar claims were also shared on Facebook and Twitter.

Comments on the posts show people appeared to believe the warning.

"Thanks for the info. Law enforcers should be on their feet and visible at all times," one comment read.

Another wrote, "It's anybody's guess why these thieves are fearless -- the police [are in on it]".

However, the Quezon City police told AFP the posts are false.

Old messages

A representative shared a police statement released on April 8 that said the Japanese restaurant was robbed a few years back but not recently. (archived link)

"Since then, the establishment has already put into place improved security protocols to protect their business, with no untoward incident reported to date," the statement said.

"The alleged incidents involving the known coffee shop and the Chinese restaurant are both found to be baseless and untrue."

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos also issued a statement on the same day refuting the posts. (archived link)

"We would like the public to know that there is no truth to the information coming out on social media right now about a robbery and holdup at two restaurants and a coffee shop in Quezon City," he said in the statement in Tagalog.

He added the Quezon City police interviewed the owners of the establishments who said no theft took place at their stores that week.

Keyword searches on Facebook found the false message appeared online in June 2018, following news reports here and here about a robbery at Nomiya Izakaya. (archived links here and here)

The post, however, appears to have misspelled the Japanese restaurant's actual name -- "Nomiya Izakaya" -- and refers to the Chinese restaurant by its old name. The latter closed down in 2020 but reopened in 2021 under the new name Penglai Finest Chinese Cuisine. (archived links here and here).

Reports here and here published by media organisation Inquirer.net at the time indicated police authorities also debunked the same warning about the purported string of robberies. (archived links here and here)