Police arrest robbers

CEBU, Philippines - Two suspected robbers, who gave taxi drivers and responding policemen a two-hour chase yesterday, were charged before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Efren Lamberto, 46 of Sto. Niño, barangay Apas, Cebu City said that around 12:30 in the midnight of March 10, 2011 while he was heading towards Sepulveda St. in Cebu City, the suspects went inside his taxi and poked a knife at him.

The suspects, 23-year-old Armand Cantila and Rusty Lopez Reyes of barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City took Lamberto’s P150 cash.

Lamberto was told to disembark from the taxi and the two left him along the street.

Lamberto went to the Police Station I and sought assistance. Other taxi companies like Ken Taxi and Spider helped in looking for the stolen taxi unit.

The Cebu City Mobile Patrol and other taxi drivers chased the two suspects who were caught in Marfa, barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City.

It was Reyes, a former taxi driver, who drove the stolen taxi to escape from the police chase.

One of the responding policemen, PO1 Michael Baylon, said that Cantila and Reyes managed to run away from the taxi and went inside a house. The two were caught inside the house’s comfort room.

“Sa CR ni sila nadakpan kay nakagawas pa man ni sila sa taxi, then nilayat sa koral sa usa ka balay,” said Baylon. He added that it was members of the Mandaue City SWAT team who arrested the suspects.

Cantila said that this is their second time to rob a taxi. The first time was last Thursday wherein they got P2,000 from the taxi driver. They also got the taxi but just left it behind somewhere in barangay Capitol, Cebu City. (FREEMAN)