2 hurt in Baclaran holdup

A 45-year-old businesswoman and her 22-year-old nephew are now in critical condition after three holdupmen shot them at noon yesterday in Baclaran, Parañaque City.

Police said the victims, identified as Cherry Elife and Charles Spencer Castro, both of 5-B Guerilla street, Sto. Niño, Marikina City, were about to order food for lunch inside an eatery at the corner of Aguara street and J. Gabriel street when the suspects approached them and declared a holdup.

When the victims resisted and tried to run, the suspects shot them in the back using caliber .45 caliber pistols. They then took more than P500,000 in cash from the woman before fleeing on board a red Suzuki X4 motorcycle (UV-3926), probers said.

PO2 Antonio Alising of the Baclaran PCP said Elife was shot in the back near her waist while Castro sustained a wound on the back of his head and another on the left side of the abdomen.

Alising said the victims had just finished delivering goods in the area and ordered their driver to return and pick them after they are finished collecting payments.

He said the robbery appeared to be well-planned.

"The suspects knew that the victims were carrying a lot of cash. May nakapagsabi sa amin na inabangan daw yung mga biktima," Alising said in an interview.

Police added that it has been months since the last holdup incident in the area.