Computer bandits nabbed in Manila

Two members of a robbery holdup gang, who had boasted about their latest caper and loot in front of friends, were arrested by the police yesterday morning, several hours after robbing a computer shop in Malate, Manila.

Western Police District (WPD) director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong identified the suspects as Rowel Ramos, 28, a Batang City Jail gang member, of 1983 Kahilum II, Pandacan, and Alexander Garcia, 19, a Bahala na Gang member, of 1932 Plaza Hugo street, Sta. Ana, Manila.

The two named their accomplices as "Tembong," "Dek-Dek," and "Ryan."

According to Senior Inspector Joselito Sta. Teresa, chief of the WPD’s District Police Intelligence Unit, the group dubbed as the "Estribo Gang" was responsible for the series of robbery holdup incidents along Singalong and Paco areas in Malate, Manila.

At around 11:15 p.m. last Wednesday, two of the gang members reportedly entered the D’ Code Cyber Cafe located at 1644 Singalong street, pretending to be customers.

Later, the two suspects opened the partially closed computer shop and allowed three of their companions to enter.

Once inside, the five suspects pulled out knives and guns and divested the customers of their cellular phones and cash. The male owner of the shop, who refused to be identified, told police that one of the suspects fired at him but missed when he tried to put up a fight.

The suspects left the shop after removing three hard disk drives and CD drives from the computers. Some P100,000 worth of cash were also taken from the owner and customers, according to police.

Police Officer 2 Darwil Equibal, a Singalong resident, said he saw the report of the robbery incident in an early morning news program and had a hunch about the involvement of the notorious group.

His hunch was proven right after he was informed by neighbors that Ramos and Garcia had been boasting of their recent caper while showing off a lot of cash in hand.

Equibal immediately effected the arrest of the two suspects, who were positively identified by their victims in a police lineup.

Follow-up operations have fanned out to several areas in Manila for the arrest of the remaining three suspects.