Businessman robbed of P1 M in Marikina

Five armed men dragged at gunpoint a businessman and his children into the bathroom of a grocery over the weekend and escaped with his two-day earnings of close to P1 million in Marikina City.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., Marikina City police chief, said they are zeroing in on an "inside job" angle because the robbers have detailed information about the victim, Danilo Mendoza, 56 and his family. "The robbers were aware of the family’s movements so we have strong suspicion that somebody is feeding them inside information," said Rojas in an interview.

After closing their grocery at the city’s public market, Mendoza and his wife, Aurora, 55, went home on board their newly-acquired Suzuki Grand Vitara, with license plate WRD-405, at about 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Mendoza said he was about to open the garage of their house at Chesnut st., Marikina East Subdivision in Barangay San Roque when the five suspects appeared from behind and at gunpoint, divested Mendoza of his bag containing his store’s two-day earnings. They also grabbed the car keys and herded him and his children to the bathroom. Aurora managed to hide in the garage.

The robbers fled on board Mendoza’s car.

After the robbers left, Aurora freed her husband and children and reported the robbery to the local police.

Rojas said he immediately sent a flash alarm on Mendoza’s car but it has not been intercepted by the police in Metro Manila as of presstime.

The city police chief said he presented their file of criminals to the Mendoza’s family but not one of them was identified as among the robbers.

Police claimed that neighbors noticed the presence of the robbers in the area hours prior to the robbery. But they, too, failed to identify the robbers.

Rojas dispatched three teams of crack police operatives to recover the getaway vehicle and track down and arrest the suspects. — Non Alquitran