Ma, boy hurt in taxi rob, spurned by 3 hospitals; boy dies

A 12-year-old boy died and his 38-year-old mother was seriously injured after a cab that was being robbed by two men hit them in Baesa, Quezon City last Friday night.

Police identified the victims as Kevin Jay Singma and Gloria Singma, both of 181 Rivera Compound, Baesa, Quezon City.

Hospital records showed that the young boy died at the Chinese General Hospital from multiple injuries, including fractures in both legs, resulting in severe internal hemorrhage at around 5:45 a.m. yesterday.

His mother underwent a major operation for her bleeding stomach in the same hospital and is recuperating.

According to Gery Yumping, a nurse at the emergency room of the hospital, the victims reached the hospital at around 1:10 a.m. after three other hospitals had refused them admission.

Police disclosed that the incident happened at around 10:30 p.m. Friday in front of Manotoc Subdivision in Baesa while the two victims were about to cross Quirino Highway.

Prior to the car accident, suspects Romeo Gonzales, 33, of Pilar St., Manugit, Tondo, Manila, and Sonny Nilo, 27, of Barangay Sauyo, Novaliches, Quezon City were robbing a red taxi (TGP-280) driven by Nilo Cruz, 48, along Quirino Highway in Quezon City.

The suspects had flagged down the taxi in Sauyo Road, Novaliches and were supposed to proceed to Caloocan City. But while traversing Quirino Highway, the suspects declared a heist, divesting the day’s earnings of Cruz of P1,000.

A struggle for the steering wheel ensued that led to the accident. Residents cornered and mauled the suspects, who were turned over to the police, who arrived moments later.

Meanwhile, a police officer was seriously wounded while a tricycle driver sustained minor injuries during an ambush staged by at least six armed men in Caloocan City Saturday night.

Senior Superintendent Benjarde Mantele, Caloocan City police chief, identified the victims as SPO2 Andres Norona, assigned at the city’s police Sub-station 4 in Bagong Silang, and tricycle driver Winifredo Ebona.

Norona sustained a blasted left arm and multiple bullet wounds in different parts of the body and is now confined at the Far Eastern University Medical Center in Fairview, Quezon City.

Police prober PO1 Don Punzalan said that at around 8 p.m. Saturday, Norona was on his way to Sub-station 4 aboard his jeep with one Victoria Villar when they were waylaid by armed men along Barrio San Isidro, Tala, Caloocan City.

The suspects, armed with improvised shotguns (sumpak), fired upon Norona as he passed by a dimly lit portion of Barrio San Isidro, Punzalan said.

The policeman was hit by the first volley but was able to jump off his vehicle and flag down a passing tricycle driven by Ebona.

The suspects, however, ran after him and fired at the speeding vehicle, hitting the driver in different parts of his body, Punzalan added.

"The driver only sustained minor injuries while Norona’s left arm was mangled and is in danger of being amputated," Punzalan said.

Policemen from nearby Sub-station 3, led by Superintendent Benedicto Gorospe, immediately conducted a follow-up operation leading to the arrest of one suspect, Gerry Yuson, 31, native of Davao, and a resident of Barrio San Isidro, Tala.

Police recovered from the crime scene two empty 12-gauge shotgun shells, deformed slugs and pieces of human bone believed that of Norona.

A police manhunt is on for five other suspects identified as Danilo, Dionesio, and Rogelio, all surnamed Navalta; Jeltong Orbong and one Erwin Nocum.

Punzalan said they are still investigating the motive behind the ambush. — Katherine Andraneda and Pete Laude