EXCLUSIVE: Chef Tatung loses ₱4M in September burglary; police ‘refuse’ to document complaint

Chef and restaurateur Myke “Tatung” Sarthou said he suffered ₱4 million in losses and property damage after his home in Baras, Rizal, was burglarized nearly a month ago—alleging that the police have “refused” to formally document his complaint.

In an Oct. 17 Facebook post, Sarthou shared a video showing the ransacked property. His living room was stripped bare, with belongings scattered across the floor. Some items and parts of the room appeared broken or destroyed. Bottles of gin were also visible among the clutter.

“They stripped it almost to the bone,” he said in the caption. “Appliances, fixtures, even the electrical wiring were ripped out. An estimated ₱4 million in losses and damages. A home we worked hard for, taken apart piece by piece.”

But for Sarthou, “what hurts even more” is what he described as the police’s refusal to help.

“We’ve made several visits to police stations, only to be passed from one station to another for days. Nobody seems willing to take responsibility. Nobody wants to receive our report, much less investigate,” he said.

“Instead, we’re being asked to provide proof that a crime was committed,” he added.

Sarthou said that while he understood that criminals exist, he could not accept that “the very people entrusted to protect us refuse to help.”

“You work hard, follow the law, pay your taxes, and trust that when something terrible happens, there will be someone you can turn to,” he said. “Instead, you spend days going from one police station to another, pleading for someone to do something. And you begin to realize that you’re on your own.”

Police ‘refuse’ to document complaint

In an interview with radar Business, Sarthou said the thieves took “all aircons,” along with appliances, fixtures, and “some artwork.” The electrical wiring had also been stripped from the property.

Sarthou said the thefts began on Sept. 25 and were immediately reported to barangay officials and police in Antipolo City and Baras.

He identified Baras Police Station, Kabading Police Station in Antipolo, and the Baras police community precinct as the offices where they sought help.

“This was my house I opened to public during pandemic,” he said, referring to Tatung’s Private Dining, which he hosted at the property during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photos of the private dining experience remain available online.

However, Sarthou said they still have no police report because the police station “refuses to document our complaint.” Even so, he said they were advised not to “contaminate the site.”

“We made several attempts to invite the pulis to investigate over the last week, and no one came to our aid,” Sarthou said.

He also said a suspect had been apprehended by barangay personnel but was later released “due to no police response.”

The circumstances surrounding the apprehension and release were not immediately clear.

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