MANILA, Philippines - A Bulacan policeman fought off robbers who declared a heist on board a bus traveling along EDSA in Quezon City yesterday afternoon, killing two of the suspects and arresting their alleged cohort.
Inspector Christopher Obien of the Provincial Mobile Group of Bulacan was wearing civilian clothing when he boarded the bus, said Superintendent Ferdinand Ampil, commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 10.
“The suspects did not notice that there was a police official also on board the bus,” Ampil told The STAR in an interview.
Ampil said Obien was on his way to Camp Crame to process some papers when the incident happened.
According to Ampil, the incident happened on the southbound lane of Edsa at around 1 p.m.
The suspects reportedly declared the heist on the EDSA-Quezon Avenue flyover until the bus finally stopped when Obien shot dead the two suspects as the vehicle reached the portion of Edsa near the Department of Interior and Local Government building.
Ampil said the two slain suspects remained unidentified, while the third suspect, identified as Michael Mismo, was brought to the QCPD-Station 10.
One of the suspects was reportedly seated near the driver and was the one who declared the heist. Upon hearing it, Obien, who was seated in the middle of the JMK bus (TWH-201), reportedly stood up and drew his .45 caliber service firearm.
The suspect pointed his .38 caliber pistol at the police official. But before he could fire his gun, the policeman was able to hit him in the head.
Another suspect was seated in the back of the bus and also pulled his .38 caliber handgun and pointed it at the policeman, who was fast enough to hit the other suspect also in the head.
Mismo, who was also seated in the back portion of the bus, meanwhile, raised his hands and surrendered to the policeman. Mismo denied knowing the two suspects and claimed he was not part of a robbery group.
But the bus conductor and the policeman claimed Mismo was with the two suspects when they boarded the bus in Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City.
A bus inspector, identified as Diosdado Gutierrez, was also wounded after being reportedly hit by a stray bullet and was brought to the East Avenue Medical Center for treatment.
Ampil said no one was hurt among the other passengers of the bus.