Cell phone leads to fall of bus, taxi driver gang

MANILA, Philippines - Text messages on the cell phone of a bus driver led to the arrest of a gang of bus and taxi drivers who rob their passengers, officials said yesterday.

Everything started when Malanday Metro Link bus driver Bobby Bondoc reported a robbery in his bus (TWJ-728) as it reached the corner of EDSA and Quezon Avenue at past 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo, who heads the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU).

He later led them to a house in Meycauayan, Bulacan where his alleged accomplices – Aries Adrales, Roger Alaraz, Aquilino Soriano, and Jeffrey Reyes – were engaged in a drug session Sunday after robbing the passengers of a Cher bus on EDSA.

They had escaped in a Diane and Keisy taxi reportedly driven by Reyes, who works as a taxi driver. The taxi, which Reyes allegedly used in previous robberies, was found at the Bulacan house, the QCPD chief said.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano said they found out the other suspects had worked as drivers and conductors for either the same bus firm Bondoc works for and the Cher bus firm. “They had been dismissed from their jobs for reasons we do not know yet,” he said. 

Inconsistent

Police officers initially became suspicious of Bondoc because of his inconsistent statements, he said.

“He (Bondoc) had erased all the text messages he had sent and received. But he forgot to erase two particular text messages he had received,” said Inspector Alan dela Cruz, head of the Theft and Robbery Investigation Section of the QCPD-CIDU. 

Dela Cruz was referring to a text message received at 3:18 p.m. on Saturday stating: “Anong oras kayo angat dyan?” This, according to policemen, hinted that one of the four other suspects was asking Bondoc about his trip that afternoon. Then there was another one at 4:03 p.m, stating: “Pre abang nalang kami ha bago flyover ng Kamias.” The robbery happened at 4:30 p.m.

At this point, policemen took control of Bondoc’s cell phone.

Bus full of cops

Investigators told Bondoc what to say in the text conversation as policemen, led by Dela Cruz and Inspector Elmer Monsalve, boarded the bus as it traveled its usual route.

“The bus was practically filled with policemen in plainclothes. But we had to be cautious of any encounter since the bus had to act normal and still pick up passengers along the way,” Dela Cruz said of the bus ride that started Saturday night. 

Despite several text messages, starting just before 3 a.m. Sunday, the other suspects became impatient when Bondoc was unable to meet them at Muñoz half an hour later.

It was then that the four suspects decided to board a Cher bus, rob its passengers, and go to their Bulacan safehouse, police said.

Police officers recovered laptop computers, wallets, identification and bank cards and cell phones stolen from the bus passengers, he said. They also found three .38 caliber revolvers.

Albano said they were still looking into other cases of bus heists possibly staged by the suspects.

Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, QCPD deputy director for administration, said they are preparing a case for highway robbery against the suspects, who are also facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and drug use.