Ex-Army man robs trader, shoots vendor

A former Army soldier was nabbed by responding policemen after he robbed a woman trader in Binondo, Manila Monday night.

Renaldo Refumina, 35, who has gone AWOL (absent without official leave) from the Philippine Army, also shot cigarette vendor Edgardo Coria when he fired his gun in an attempt to scare his victim, identified as Emiliana Magtibay of Rosario, Batangas.

Investigation showed that Refumina, in the company of a certain “Dongdong,” robbed Magtibay at gunpoint at around 10:15 p.m. along Tabora sreet near the corner C.M. Recto Avenue in Binondo.

Magtibay resisted, prompting Refumina to fire his gun but instead hit Coria, who was selling cigarettes at a nearby street corner. After taking the trader’s handbag, the two suspects fled towards a mall.

Responding policemen, together with bystanders, cornered Refumina, while his cohort managed to elude arrest. Recovered from the suspect was a homemade .38 caliber revolver and the victim’s handbag, which contained P10,000.

Coria was rushed to the Ospital ng Maynila and is under observation for a gunshot wound on the left side of his body.

Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut said Refumina is on the police’s wanted list for a series of heists involving Divisoria traders. The suspect had also spent some time at the Manila City Jail for robbery, Yabut added.

Yabut is looking into reports that some Divisoria porters act as tipsters for Refumina. “The porters know the traders who are carrying large sums of money while transacting business in Divisoria. Then they will give signal to their cohort, who will rob their intended victim,” he said.

The police have identified Dongdong as a Divisoria porter and launched a manhunt for his immediate arrest.

Refumina was also identified by at least two traders as the man who robbed them. Charges of robbery holdup, frustrated homicide and illegal possession of firearm were filed against the suspect.    – Nestor Etolle