MPD nabs railing thief

Operatives of Manila Police District (MPD) have arrested an alleged member of a syndicate that steals government property, including pipes from bridges and other infrastructure in the city.

The suspect, identified as Manuel Abuel, was caught at around 11 p.m. last Sept. 20 in the act of stealing an aluminum pipe from a concrete railing along Zamora Bridge.

Arresting officers from MPD-Station 10, led by Senior Inspector Marcelo Reyes, said they received information about suspicious activity on the bridge.

Reyes said they inspected the bridge and spotted two men carrying a pipe at the off-ramp of the bridge going to Old Sta. Mesa street.

Upon seeing the police vehicle, the two suspects ran and left the stolen pipe. Police was able to corner Abuel after a brief chase, but the other suspect was able to escape after jumping off the bridge.

Abuel later identified his companion as a certain Dante. At the police station, he admitted they also stole another piece of railing from the bridge last Sept.17 and sold it to a junk shop for P60.

Police said they have presented the suspect before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest on charges of robbery of government property.

The MPD earlier intensified its campaign against thieves of concrete barriers and railings along bridges in the city, which are being developed by the city government under Mayor Lito Atienza’s Buhayin Ang Maynila program.

Police have been conducting regular inspections and monitoring operations on city bridges. – With Nestor Etolle