Ex-PAF man, 5 others nabbed for Taguig heist

MANILA, Philippines - A former major in the Philippine Air Force and five others were arrested for allegedly robbing a money remittance firm outlet in Taguig City of P240,000 Monday.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said Manuel Galan, 38, reportedly leads the “X-Men Gang,” whose members are former military personnel and civilian militia volunteers. He said Galan’s gang are allegedly behind a failed assassination attempt on a Batangas politician last year.

Bartolome said the six suspects staged the robbery of the outlet in Western Bicutan at around 4:45 p.m. Monday. Suspect Mark Pabito, 24, was arrested right after the robbery. He yielded a .38 caliber revolver with five bullets.

During interrogation, Pabito revealed the location of the gang’s safehouse in Quezon City, where suspects Bernardo Pelagio, 20; Boyet Regildo, 42, were arrested. They yielded a Yamaha motorcycle (NU 6931) and two .38 caliber revolvers with nine bullets.

Suspects Galan, Mario Roda, and Delfin Galan, 50, were in a red Honda Civic (CRV-555) when they were caught in a police dragnet along Katipunan Avenue. The three men were reported to be carrying a .38 caliber pistol, a .9mm automatic pistol, and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver and assorted ammunition.