Cop guns down 2 PUJ robbers

A police officer shot dead two of six men who attempted to rob him inside a public utility jeepney in Taguig City early yesterday.

Investigators said Police Officer 1 Deogracias Basang, assigned with the Regional Special Action Unit based at Camp Bagong Diwa, was on his way to work on board a jeepney (AVU-945) when the incident took place at around 3:30 a.m.

Basang was about to get off at the East Service Road, PNR site, when two of the suspects grabbed him and announced a holdup.

When Basang tried to resist, one of the suspects stabbed him in the left arm.

A wounded Basang was able pull out his service pistol — a 9mm Beretta pistol, from his backpack and shot his attackers.

SPO3 Regie Gapasin said two suspects, who were hit in different parts of the body, died on the spot. The four others fled after the shooting.

One of the slain suspects —Wenceslao Maala Jr. — was identified through his driver’s license.

Recovered from the suspects were a stainless kitchen knife, measuring eight inches, a fan knife and a black bonnet.

Basang submitted himself for investigation at the police station.

In Sta. Cruz, Manila, two suspected jeepney holduppers not only landed in jail yesterday, but were beaten black and blue by an angry mob.

Suspects Alex Recatillo, 26, a Batang City Jail gang member, and his 17-year-old companion, a Sigue-Sigue Sputnik gang member, suffered severe injuries after they were beaten up by bystanders, who caught up with them after running away with their loot, according to Task Force Galugad head Chief Inspector Alberto Peco.

Recovered from the suspects were two shoulder bags, a black wallet, a cellular phone, cash and two fan knives.

Peco said the suspects help up passengers of a Malanday-Recto jeepney at the corner of Rizal Avenue and Blumentritt street in Sta. Cruz, Manila at around 3 a.m.

As the suspects alighted, their victims shouted for help, catching the attention of patrolling barangay watchmen. The suspects were chased by the watchmen, who was joined by several bystanders.

The bystanders took turns in beating up the suspects before they were pacified by the barangay officers. The victims were taken to the Ospital ng Maynila for treatment before they were turned over to police.

In another development, police are still clueless as to the identity of a female passenger, who was shot dead when she resisted two holduppers inside a passenger jeepney last Thursday in Ermita, Manila.

The victim, who was in her late teens, with white complexion, sporting short hair, and wearing denim pants and a black shirt, sustained a gunshot wound in the head and was declared dead on arrival at the Philippine General Hospital.

Police said the victim was on board a Baclaran-Quiapo jeepney when the vehicle stopped at a traffic light on Taft Avenue at around 5:20 a.m.

Two men, armed with a gun and a knife, boarded the vehicle and announced a holdup.

Witnesses said the holduppers were divesting the passengers of their belongings when the victim resisted and tried to put up a fight. One of the suspects shot her in the head. — With Nestor Etolle