Cops nab airport robber

A suspected member of a robbery gang that earlier victimized a Canadian citizen, has been arrested by airport authorities during the weekend at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said yesterday.

Ret. Police Superintendent Francisco Diño, newly-installed chief of the MIAA’s Airport Police Department (APD), identified the suspect as taxi driver Leo Villavicencio Cua, 45.

The victim was identified as Benjamin Toth, 73, a Canadian businessman who went to the APD and filed a complaint against Cua.

The suspect was arrested during an operation conducted by the APD and the Parañaque City police. It was learned that the suspect had a previous arrest warrant issued against him for corruption of an airport officer.

"This particular case only emphasizes and establishes that the MIAA, under the leadership of General Manager Alfonso Cusi, is determined to pursue the mission of the authority of providing a safe and secure airport as well as ensuring the well-being of passengers and other stakeholders," Diño said.

Based on the testimony of Toth, he arrived at the NAIA last Sept. 18 and boarded an R&E taxi driven by the suspect. The foreigner sat in the front.

The Canadian was surprised when Cua suddenly stopped the cab several hundred meters away from the airport and let an unidentified man, said to be an accomplice, climb into the backseat.

Toth said he froze in fear when he felt a pointed object poking his back. He was divested of cash, valuables and other belongings amounting to P400,000.

The following day, Toth reported the incident to the APD. Almost a month later, the suspect was apprehended near the airport.

"I am pleased with the good work of the airport and city police," Toth said. – Sandy Araneta