Woman held hostage by Manila jeepney robber

One of three armed robbers, trying to elude pursuing policemen, took a woman hostage during a daring jeepney robbery yesterday morning in Intramuros, Manila.

Police later caught one of the suspects after a brief chase. Arrested was Mark Frederick Grapella, 22, an alleged member of the Batang City Jail Gang, and a resident of 452 Cabildo St., Intramuros, Manila.

Seized from Grapella was a black bag with a switchblade, documents, a name patch, a wallet, a lighter, a pair of pliers, and a record book.

Police also failed to recover the victims’ valuables which included cellular phones after the robbers threw their loot into the Pasig River.

According to police, the robbery took place near the Jones Bridge in Plaza Lawton, Manila, at about 9:45 a.m. aboard a Divisoria-bound jeep.

Police said the suspects, who were armed with pistols and a grenade, announced the heist as the jeepney crossed the Jones Bridge near the Post Office.

The commotion attracted the attention of cops posted at the nearby police detachment, triggering a chase and an exchange of gunfire.

During the shootout, one of the suspects boarded a Pier-bound jeepney and held passenger Rose Dimaliwat, 33, hostage. The suspect then dragged Dimaliwat to an FX taxi. The suspect, at gunpoint, then ordered FX taxi driver Edgar Co, 41, to flee the scene. However, Co instead rammed his van into a Starex van at the foot of the Jones Bridge. After the crash, the robber abandoned Dimaliwat inside the FX van and ran towards Quintin Paredes Street.

The hostage-taker’s companions made their escape by lobbing a grenade at pursuing policemen. Fortunately, the grenade did not explode after the robbers failed to pull the pin properly. — Mike Frialde