1 dead in bus heist

A bus conductor was shot dead by one of three unidentified gunmen who robbed passengers of an aircon bus Thursday night as it traveled along MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City.

Superintendent Jose Marcelo, city police chief, said Josephino Tubella, 24, conductor of a Del Carmen airconditioned bus who tried to grab the gun of one suspect, died while being operated on at the Valenzuela General Hospital. He sustained several gunshot wounds in the body.

A follow-up operation has been launched against the suspects who alighted at Kadima street on McArthur Highway after the heist.

Records showed the incident took place at around 7:30 p.m. Thursday while the bus was traveling northbound to Valenzuela City from Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Rex Manhares, 27, bus driver, said the suspects boarded at Ayala, Alabang. The robbery took place later along EDSA but the suspects allegedly asked to be taken to Valenzuela yet with still five passengers on board. At Kadima street, the victim allegedly grabbed the gun of one suspect but was overpowered by the latter who was bigger than him. The suspects quickly alighted as the bus screeched to a stop after the shooting. – Jerry Botial