'Ipit Gang' carts away P93,000 worth of electronic equipment in San Juan

MANILA, Philippines - The dreaded “Ipit Gang” carted away some P93,000 worth of electronic equipment and cash from a 30-year-old IBM procurement officer in San Juan City at dawn yesterday.

Police identified the victim as Paul Magnaye, 30, of Marne street, Barangay St. Joseph, San Juan City, single. Magnaye told probers that he boarded an old white taxi at the corner of P. Parada and D. Vicencio streets in Barangay Sta. Lucia, San Juan City to buy medicine for his scoliosis in Kalentong, Mandaluyong City.

He said the taxi driver brought him to Kalentong, but did not allow him to alight there and instead brought him back to Barcelona street in Barangay Sta. Lucia, San Juan City where the five other suspects armed with hand guns and ice picks boarded the taxi.

“I tried hard to open the door in Kalentong, when I sensed that the driver was up to something, but I could open it. Instead of letting me alight in Kalentong, he made a U-turn and sped off toward F. Manalo street and turned right to Barcelona street in Barangay Sta. Lucia where his five cohorts were waiting. One of the suspects sat beside me at the front seat and punched me twice, while the other one was pointing a gun on my head and started taking my bag,” Magnaye said.

Magnaye said the suspects, who warned him not to look back, dropped him off at the side portion of the dimly lighted V. Cruz street near the Iglesia Ni Cristo church and sped off towards an unknown direction. He said the suspects carted away a company issued IBM X41 laptop worth P80,000; an N73 cellphone worth P8,000 and P5,000 cash.

“The taxi driver came from P. Guevarra street when he picked me up. I was not minding him at first because I saw a tricycle, which I intend to ride. But an unidentified woman boarded the tricycle, so I boarded the taxi. I don’t have any inkling that the taxi driver is a member of a robbery group,” Magnaye said.

Robbery groups, with the same modus operandi, are notoriously victimizing passengers in Ortigas Center in Pasig City and other parts of Metro Manila. – Jose Rodel Clapano