MPD steps up hunt for moneychanger's killers

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Police District (MPD) investigators have identified two of four men who robbed and killed a Batangas-based foreign exchange shop owner Friday night, an official said yesterday.

MPD director Chief Superintendent Alex Gutierrez told The STAR they have pinpointed the exact location of the alleged killers and “we’re just waiting for the opportunity to pick them up.”

He said the two men are “members of an organized crime group preying on businessmen who have just withdrawn big money in the bank. This group was responsible for different robberies in Metro Manila. It’s just a matter of time.”

Gutierrez said three teams from the MPD “are after them as we speak.” He said the two men were seen shooting at the vehicle of dentist Adonis Peren, who operated a foreign exchange business in Lemery. The victim, who was accompanied by his wife and 11-year-old son, had just exchanged foreign currency into P3.8 million at the Nikko Money Changer shop along Mabini street.

The ambush took place at the corner of San Marcelino street and Quirino Avenue at around 8 p.m. Friday. The attack was caught on video by a nearby surveillance camera.

“What we’re looking for here is the tipster. These people (suspects) have no time to follow their subject. Somebody must have tipped them off when they finished their transactions,” Gutierrez said, adding that the suspects are professionals who shoot their victims first before taking the loot.

The robbers ganged up on Peren when he was stuck in traffic. His wife managed to jump out of the vehicle, taking the P3.8 million with her but leaving their son behind. The robbers took Peren’s bag, which contained P1 million. They left the boy unharmed.