13 men nabbed in foiled bank robbery

At least 13 gunmen, all considered responsible for certain robberies and hold-ups in Metro Manila, were arrested the other day after a foiled bank robbery on Roosevelt Avenue, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City. The suspects, who were armed with handguns and M-16 rifles, are now detained at the Central Police District headquarters as they await charges against them.

They were identified as Aladin Malinao, 24, Manuel Maturan, 42, Marciano Banzuela, 34, Nicolas Gonzaga, 36, Jesus Mentes, 29, Claudio Sacro, 25, Baltazar Discorion, 28, Carlos Saas, 20, Raymund Maitin, 28, Elizalde Didoy, 28, Jimmy Espina, 26, and Noel Ortiz, 28.

CPD operatives also recovered two motorcycles, firearms and radio transceivers from the gang. They were apprehended after a two-month surveillance.

Authorities set up the entrapment operation after they learned the group would rob the PCI Equitable Bank Roosevelt branch in Barangay San Antonio, Quezon City.

The robbers arrived at about 2:30 p.m. and were about to pull off the heist, when policemen who had earlier posted themselves near the bank swooped down on the gunmen.

No shootout occurred because the suspects immediately surrendered. – Matthew