Mall guards foil robbery in Alabang

Alert mall guards foiled an attempt by two robbers to victimize a pedestrian near the Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City last Friday.

Randy Aligata and Randy Lloa, both security guards of the Alabang Town Center, heard a woman screaming for help at a nearby pedestrian overpass at around 7 p.m.

They responded and found out that Shalimar Rebillado, 24, of Las Piñas City, had just been robbed by two armed men. The guards ran after the suspects and were able to corner one of them with the help of police officers on foot patrol.

The arrested suspect was identified as Rey Angsioco, of Alamanza I, Las Piñas City. Recovered from him were a caliber .38 revolver and the victim’s bag containing a Nokia 6610 cell phone and cash.

The other suspect, identified as Joel Balion, managed to escape.

Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Garcia said a pursuit operation has been conducted.

"This is a result of our intensified police visibility and close coordination with mall authorities," Garcia said in an interview.

Rebillado was confined at the Muntinlupa City Medical Center for injuries suffered during the robbery. Police said she was hit in the head by the butt of a gun when she refused to give up her bag.

Angsioco has been charged with robbery with serious physical injury and illegal possession of firearm before the city prosecutor’s office yesterday .

Garcia ordered his men to remain vigilant against criminals preying on patrons of the city’s business centers.

Just last month, bank robbers struck in Alabang and took cash and cell phones from clients of a bank during a 20-minute heist.

Two days later, a Filipino-Chinese woman managed to escape a kidnapping attempt at a mall parking lot.

All three incidents took place at broad daylight.

As a response to the rising criminality in Muntinlupa, city Rep. Raffy Biazon has sponsored a P7.5-million crime mapping project which has proven helpful to police in combating street crimes. – Edu Punay