Money shop exec killed in ambush

A security officer of a foreign exchange shop in Ermita was killed while his companion was seriously injured after motorcycle-riding robbers ambushed them at the Lagusnilad underpass in front of the Manila City Hall yesterday afternoon.

Taken by the robbers was a duffel bag containing P2 million in cash that the victims had earlier withdrawn from the Metrobank branch in Binondo, Manila and were carrying back to their shop in Padre Faura Street.

Police identified the fatality as Dante Castro, 56, a retired military officer and security officer of the RPM money changing shop. Wounded in the incident was Allan Divisoria, 26, driver of the Nissan Bluebird Super Saloon sedan they were riding with plate number DJM-400. Also aboard the car but unhurt was Kim Ayeng, 34, employee of the money shop.

According to Police Officer 3 Carlos Santos, investigator of the Ermita Police Station, the victims had just exchanged their US dollars into pesos at the Metrobank Binondo branch and was caught in traffic at the underpass when the incident happened at about 1 p.m.

Santos said that the victims’ car was exiting the underpass on its way to the shop in Padre Faura Street when the three suspects, aboard a motorcycle appeared from behind.

Two of the suspects, armed with 9 mm pistols alighted from the motorbike and casually walked towards the car. The suspects opened fire at the car’s windshield, driver’s side and front passenger side, hitting Divisoria and Castro in various parts of the body.

The gunmen then opened the rear passenger door and grabbed the duffel bag from Ayeng who had managed to duck onto the car’s floor.

Street vendor Danilo Anis said the gunmen, after grabbing the duffel bag, ran towards the motorbike parked at the mouth of the underpass. The suspects boarded the motorcycle and sped towards T.M. Kalaw Street.

Divisoria and Castro were rushed to the nearby Manila Doctors Hospital where Castro was declared dead on arrival. As of presstime, Divisoria was still undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds in the abdomen, left foot, left armpit and left shoulder. Castro, meanwhile, sustained gunshot wounds in the chest and head. Elements of the Western Police District Scene of the Crime Office (SOCO) recovered nine spent 9 mm shells and two 9 mm slugs from the crime scene.

The identities of the suspects have yet to be established by investigators who said that the hit was well-planned and conducted in a professional manner.