Air Force man fights off robbers in QC

MANILA, Philippines - A member of the Philippine Air Force fought off robbers and managed to shoot one of them during a jeepney heist in Quezon City Friday night.

Sgt. Dennis del Rosario, 38, suffered stab wounds in the neck and chest.

According to Superintendent Norberto Babagay, commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 11, Del Rosario was with his wife, Riza, and two other passengers when four men boarded the Lagro-bound jeepney they were riding at the intersection of Quezon and Araneta Avenues at past 11 p.m. and declared a heist shortly after.

As the jeepney moved along Quezon Avenue, screams were heard and men – who could have been the robbers – were seen being kicked out of the jeepney. A man who appeared to be in his early 20s was seen running away from the vehicle.

In an interview yesterday, Babagay said the man could have been one of the robbers, based on a tip provided by an informant. He said Del Rosario was able to fire four shots with his personal handgun, a .9mm Taurus.

The jeepney was later seen speeding along Quezon Ave­nue, bringing the wounded soldier to the Capitol Medical Center.

According to Babagay, they have scoured nearby hospitals but no gunshot wound victim was brought there. “There’s a possibility that the wounded suspect just went home or anywhere else other than a hospital or a clinic to be treated,” the police official said.

It was not immediately clear whether the robbers managed to get away with any loot.