Policeman takes on 2 robbers

MANILA, Philippines - Two men were arrested in Quezon City after trying to rob the wrong victim: an off-duty policeman.

Police Officer 1 Edison dela Cruz, 27, fought it out with the two suspects on Friday morning after they tried taking a bag containing his gun. 

Nick Lipa, 27, of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; and Ricardo Fajardo, 32, of Barangay Kaunlaran, Quezon City, were arrested following the scuffle in Cubao at past 7 a.m., said PO2 Reymond Balantac. 

Dela Cruz, who is assigned in Camp Crame, was walking that morning when the suspects appeared and approached him along Aurora Boulevard near its intersection with Araneta Avenue in Barangay Socorro.

Both armed with bladed weapons, the two took from Dela Cruz his Samsung Galaxy Note II.  Lipa then grabbed Dela Cruz’s belt bag containing his .45 caliber pistol.

However, Dela Cruz did not let go of his belt bag and a scuffle ensued between them. During the scuffle, the gun accidentally went off and hit Lipa in the leg.

The two suspects ran away but Dela Cruz hesitated to chase them after seeing a mob of bystanders help the suspects escape.

 Dela Cruz reported the incident to the Quezon City Police District Station 7. The station later received a call from the East Avenue Medical Center about a man brought in due to a gunshot wound in the leg. Policemen then proceeded to the EAMC with Dela Cruz, who confirmed that Lipa was one of the suspects.

With information provided by Lipa, policemen found Fajardo at past 4 p.m. Friday, also in Cubao. He surrendered Dela Cruz’s phone.