Vigilantes out to curb phone robs?

With the unabated cases of cellphone snatching in the metropolis, where victims are either maimed or killed, there is talk that vigilantes are now out on the streets to neutralize these criminals after the police seem helpless to arrest this rising tide of criminality.

The persistent rumor was somewhat verified by The STAR from a woman-vendor who recently witnessed a mob lynch two cellphone snatchers in front of a university along C.M. Recto, Manila.

The woman, who requested anonymity, told The STAR that she saw a burly man with the mob pull out a gun and was about to shoot the two snatchers had not responding policemen arrived.

"He seemed determined to shoot the robbers, but backed out and lost himself in the crowd when he saw the policemen coming," the woman narrated in Tagalog.

Police said Bismarck Pagalyaman, 18, of 545 Earnshaw st., Sampaloc, and Frederick Teng, 28, of 959 Bohol st., Sampaloc heldup at knifepoint a student, Wilson Oallamina, 17, and forcibly took his Nokia 3310 cellphone worth P6,500.

Oallamina chased the fleeing suspects, shouting for help from bystanders who also joined the chase. The two suspects were lynched by the mob when they were cornered in front of the University of the East gate along C.M. Recto Avenue.

Police recovered Oallamina’s cellphone and two fan knives from the suspects.

Police blotters are replete with cases of cellphone snatching with victims either maimed or killed for refusal to hand over their "precious" possession.

Robbers and snatchers now concentrate on cellphones owing to its fast disposal. A stolen cellphone can easily fetch as much as P3,000, depending on its market price. The stretch of C.M. Recto Avenue near Aranque market is a well-known "mecca" of stolen cellphones, but police have yet to raid these establishments. – Nestor Etolle