Uniformed policemen deployed by Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay in gasoline stations and convenience stores at night were nowhere in sight when the robbers arrived at the Mercury Drug store at the corner of EDSA and Libertad streets in Barangay Highway Hills at about 4:30 a.m.
It was the seventh robbery involving a Mercury Drug store since last year, police sources said.
Security guard Pio Jerez of the Security and Credit Investigation agency said six of the robbers entered the establishment and pretended to be customers.
Once inside, the robbers drew their weapons and at gunpoint ordered him to hand over his service firearm and cellphone. Another security guard, Reynaldo Magsino, said one of the robbers approached him and asked for the comfort room.
Before he could react, the robber pulled out his firearm and disarmed him. The robbers then ordered the two cashiers and four other employees of the drugstore, including the only customer, Girlie Andaliza, to lie face down on the floor.
The suspects emptied the cash registers of cash before fleeing on board three motorcycles.
Jerez and Magsino claimed that the robbers were armed with an Uzi machine pistol, M-16 Armalite rifles and caliber .45 automatic pistols. They were described as between 20 and 27 in age, muscularly-built and of fair complexioned.
The robbery was staged despite the assignment by Aglipay of additional policemen on the streets to preempt crimes.
Meanwhile, a man was killed and another was wounded after they were shot by four robbers who staged a heist in a passenger jeepney in Tondo, Manila, the other night.
Police identified the victims as Rosendo Barcenas, of 1057 Ilaya Street; and Roberto Zamora, 33.
One of the suspects, identified as Richard Morales, 22, was later arrested by police during a follow-up operation. The three other suspects, including a woman, are now being tracked down by police.
Seized by police from Morales was a pen gun and a .38 caliber bullet. Investigation showed that the victims and the other passengers were cruising along Chesa Street at about 11:45 p.m. when the suspects, armed with knives and home-made guns, announced the heist upon reaching the corner of R-10 road.
Police said Barcenas was shot in the chest by an unidentified suspect after he reportedly refused to hand over his valuables. During the shooting, Zamora, a driver of Parola Compound, North Harbor, was hit by a stray bullet in the arm. – Non Alquitran and Mike Frialde