WPD cracks down on street crimes

Three women, known as the "Quiapo’s Angels" and allegedly responsible for a series of robbery-snatching in Manila’s shopping area, along with six jeepney holdup men were arrested yesterday in one of the busiest nights for operatives of the Western Police District (WPD).

The arrests of the suspects were the result of the heightened campaign against all forms of street crimes and maximum police visibility, as directed by WPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong in a recent command conference.

First to fall were the so-called "Quiapo’s Angels" composed of Mary Jane Aguilar, 31, and Luzviminda Ibay, 33, both of 6 Carcer street, Quiapo, and Bernadette Iglesias, 35, of 24 Bazan street, Quiapo.

WPD-Station 3 chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said the group is behind the rampant snatching incidents in the Quiapo area and has been the subject of a police manhunt for almost two months now.

The group reportedly managed to elude arrest by mixing with the vendors and shoppers during police saturation drives.

According to Sapitula, Iglesias acts as the lookout of the group, while Aguilar and Ibay spot their probable victims. The suspects admitted perpetrating their criminal activities at least three times a week.

Meanwhile, four knife-wielding male suspects were nabbed by the police immediately after pulling off a robbery holdup among jeepney passengers at the Ramon Magsaysay flyover in Sta. Mesa, Manila Friday night.

The suspects — Reynaldo Peñaflor, 30, of 123 C.P. Garcia street, Moriones, Tondo; Jaysar Sison, 19, of 1269 Mabuhay street, Moriones; Roel Comedia, 19, of 1278 Mabuhay street, Moriones; and a 17-year-old boy — were arrested by a patrol team of the WPD’s Special Weapons and Tactics.

Recovered from the suspects were fan knives, cash, cellular phones and personal belongings of their victims.

In another incident, a jeepney holdupman was shot and wounded by a plainclothes Manila policeman who happened to be one of the passengers when he and a companion announced a holdup along Libertad street, Pasay City early yesterday morning.

Eric Austria, 30, a tricycle driver, of 287 Alfonso Isidro street Pasay City, was shot in the leg by Police Officer 1 Alexander Suan of the WPD’s Sta. Cruz police station when the former missed a knife thrust at the arresting officer.

The suspect’s companion, Rolando Montesa, 22, a Sigue-Sigue Sputnik gang member, of 557 Ventanilla street, Pasay City, was subsequenty arrested by responding barangay tanods.