QC cop kills jeepney robber

An off-duty Quezon City policeman shot dead a robber inside a commuter jeepney when passenger fought back and overpowered three suspects that tried to victimize them last Friday night in Marikina City.

Police Officer 1 Rico Sampaga of the Quezon City Police Department gunned down one of the suspects who was identified only as Lordan.

The two other suspects Andy Trieste, 24 and Dennis Morcoso, 21, of barangay Cupang, Antipolo City, were mauled and accosted by the other jeepney passengers to hand over his valuables pulled out his handgun, and shot one of the robbers.

Police Officer 1 Nelson Cruz of the Marikina City police investigation unit, said the slain suspect had accosted one of the passengers PO1 Sampaga, who was then wearing civilian clothes, and demanded the man’s wallet.

The policeman instead pulled out his gun and shot the suspect who was armed with a knife.

Cruz said the incident happen along E. Rodriguez Avenue in barangay Santo Niño, Marikina at around 11:30 p.m. last Friday.

He said the jeepney was enroute to Marikina from Cubao when the robbers, who posed as passengers, pulled out a home-made guns and knives then demanded from the 10 passengers, including PO1 Sampaga to hand over their cash, cellular telephones and jewelry.

Probers said when one of the suspects demanded the wallet from Sampaga, the policeman shot the suspect.

The two other suspects Trieste and Morcoso tried to escape but the angry passengers grabbed them and beat them up.

Responding policemen later arrested the two suspects who suffered bruises and contusion after they were mauled by the commuters, while Lordan died on the way to a local hospital.