Taguig cops arrest suspected holduppers, drug addict

Two dreaded holduppers and a suspected drug addict were arrested by elements of the Taguig police in separate operations in the city Monday night.

Holdup suspects Renato Santos, 24, resident of No. 1138 P. Rosales Street, Pateros, and Oliver Picar, 20, resident of Panday Paltok, Barangay Palingon, Taguig, were apprehended by joint operatives of the police and the Taguig Mobile Patrol Group, after a hot pursuit that started from Barangay Sta. Ana, Taguig, to Pateros early morning yesterday. A third suspect remains at large.

According to TMPG head Eddie Mariano, Santos is an outsider who has been tagged as a notorious holdupper victimizing Taguig residents. The suspects are believed to be part of the Barako Gang, a gang of thieves that use barako motorcycles in their lawless activities.

In a report to Taguig Police chief Superintendent Alfred Corpus, TMPG Officer Eufronio Obong said that about 11:30pm on Monday, victim Anna Marie Nacion, 16, a resident of Barangay Sta. Ana, Taguig City, was on her way home when the three suspects aboard a blue tricycle stopped in front of her,  threatened her with a gun, and declared a holdup.

After divesting the victim of her personal belongings, the suspects immediately fled aboard the same tricycle.

Nacion afterwards chanced upon a TMPG car conducting its routine patrol, and reported the incident. The patrol group then followed the trail of the suspects, leading them to Barangay Sta. Ana, Pateros.

Further, a suspected drug addict was nabbed during a buy-bust operation conducted by personnel of the Station Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operation Task Group (SAID-SOTG) at the PNR Site in Barangay Bagong Tanyag, around the same time.

SAID-SOTG chief Gil Calagan said a confidential tip-off of a rampant drug trade in the area triggered the operation yesterday morning.

Arrested was Mary Ann Panizeles, 38, resident of Bagong Tanyag, Taguig City. Recovered from the suspect was a small heat-sealed plastic containing 0.6 grams of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.

Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga lauded the local police and the TMPG group for the recent arrests made.

Appropriate charges are being readied against the suspects who are now under the custody of the city police.