Pasay cops nab armed vendors

Two illegal sidewalk vendors who were displaced by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from Baclaran ventured into crime, which they thought would sustain their basic needs while waiting for government’s actions on their relocation.

Police arrested yesterday Ibrahim Sanggopan, 29, and Rodel Amerol and recovered from them a caliber .38 revolver and a nine-inch knife, respectively at around 2:10 a.m. at the service road of Roxas Boulevard, fronting the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.

Arresting officers, led by Inspector Enrico Ebon of the special project operations team, said Sanggopan resisted arrest and fired two shots at them.

Probers managed to elude the gunshots and fired back at the suspect, hitting him in the head, said Ebon.

"There were actually three of them. We cornered the two, while the third one escaped," he added.

Sanggopan and Amerol were brought to the police station, where they were detained.

Amerol admitted to The STAR that the deadly weapons were theirs. He said they were on their way home when police accosted them.

"Wala na kaming makain," said Amerol, who confessed their plan to rob pedestrians.

Amerol, a vendor of clothes, said he has not earned anything since the MMDA started clearing Baclaran of illegal vendors.

The MMDA and the local government recently vowed to join hands in producing a legitimate site for the displaced vendors.

But they junked the proposal to revive an old project that would create a vending site at the open area in front of the Baclaran Church along Roxas Boulevard.

They said the proposal is not feasible, saying they would have to demolish the Islamic compound before developing the area.

Ebon said: "There is no excuse for committing crimes. They should not make a living by harming other people."

Police said Sanggopan would be charged with direct assault and attempted murder. – Edu Punay