3 rob gang members preying on cabbies fall

MANILA, Philippines - Three males allegedly responsible for a series of robbery incidents involving taxi drivers were arrested by the police in a follow-up operation in Tondo, Manila yesterday morning.

Moriones police station chief Superintendent Jose Mario   Espino identified the suspects as Rene Rio, 19; Jesus Bustamante, 18; and Joel Balais, 23.

Espino directed Senior Inspector Arnulfo Ibañez to hunt down the suspects after he noted a pattern on four robbery incidents involving taxi drivers since Monday wherein the suspects always got off at the Parola Compound in Tondo.

Early morning Monday, taxi driver Lito Floirendo was robbed of his P2,000 earnings, then Joseph Bacaycay was held up of his P4,000 earnings on Tuesday, followed by Jose Olavere on Wednesday when P1,500 was taken from him and early morning yesterday Ernesto Gabva was robbed of his P2,300 earnings. “The series of robbery incidents always end up at the Parola Compound where the suspects directed their victims to ferry them,” Espino said.

Ibañez, together with POs3 Merbargin Alimudin and Gabriel Torres and PO1 Federico Casuple, nabbed the suspects one after the other through police informants. Recovered from the suspects were a .38 caliber revolver and a hunting knife.

Records verification showed Rio has a standing warrant of arrest for murder issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 50 Judge William Simon Peralta, while Balais had just been released from the Manila City Jail two weeks ago. Bustaman­te claimed he only acted as lookout for the group.

Espino attributed the quick arrest of the suspects to the victims’ resolve to report immediately to police. “ I am advising crime victims to trust their policemen. No crime will be left unsolved if our authorities will be aware of the modus operandi of these criminals,” Espino said.           – Nestor Etolle