Ativan Gang strikes again, robs Swede

Despite the recent ‘summary executions’ of three alleged thieves preying on tourists in Manila, a Swedish seminarian lost his credit card and P8,000 to the "Ativan" robbery gang in Intramuros.

Manila police identified the victim as David John Edman, 23. The victim told investigators of the Western Police District’s (WPD) General Assignments Section (GAS) that he was walking in Intramuros when the suspects, two men and a woman, approached and befriended him. Edman said the three brought him to SM Manila before taking a walk to Quiapo.

In Quiapo, the suspects together with Edman boarded a jeepney then a tricycle. While aboard the tricycle, the suspects offered the victim a can of beer.

Edman said that after drinking the beer, he felt dizzy and lost consciousness. He woke up hours later without his credit card and cash.

Three men, whom police believe to have been robbers preying on tourists in the Ermita and Malate areas have so far been found murdered. Investigators hint that the men were liquidated by a vigilante group.

Last March 5, the body of an unidentified heavily-tattooed man was dumped near the entrance of a mall in Padre Faura Street. The man who bore welt marks in the neck, wrists and legs, also had a cardboard sign looped around his neck. Written on the card-board was "Turista huwag holdapin, alagaan. Ativan (gang) susunod. (Don’t rob tourists. Ativan gang, you’re next)."

The Ativan Gang of robbers lure victims into drinking drinks laced with sedatives and then robbed them.

Last Tuesday night, police again stumbled on the bodies of Uri Lalic, 16; and Ramon Artigas, 26. The two were dumped on the sidewalk along Aldegoa Street in Malate. On top of Artigas’ body was a small cardboard sign, "Ako’y salot ng turista (I am the bane of tourists)." Police, however, said that Lalic and Artigas could be victims of a ‘copy-cat’ killer as the two men were stabbed and not strangled to death. — Mike Frialde