Gasoline boy foils robbery in North Cotabato; hailed as local hero

NORTH COTABATO - Local officials promised to reward a gasoline station worker who foiled a robbery after killing two suspects and wounding another in M'lang town, on Tuesday.

M'lang Mayor Joselito Piñol, chairperson of the municipal peace and order council, said the worker, whom he identified only as “Isko” for security reasons, will also be awarded by the local government with a special citation for his courageous act.

The vigilant Isko noticed the suspicious movements of the three motorcycle-riding robbers at the gasoline station located along a national highway in the northwestern part of M'lang.

Isko then warned his co-workers of a possible heist by the three robbers, who were later identified as Anton Benitez, Adrian Lalin and Jared Fulgencio.

After Isko noticed that guns were tucked in the men's waists, he alerted the cashier, who immediately dropped the gasoline station's earnings on the booth's floor and left only P5,000 in the cash register.

Benitez and Lopez, who rushed to the booth brandishing pistols, took the money from the cashier at gunpoint.

As the three men rode their motorcycle to escape, Isko appeared from behind, grab the pistol from Benitez and shot him twice in the head.

Isko also opened fire at Lalin, hitting him in different parts of his body. He also shot Fulgencio, the driver of the getaway motorcycle, as he tried to escape.

The wounded Fulgencio was intercepted by soldiers and militiamen guarding a roadside detachment near the gasoline station.

Piñol said the badly wounded Lalin died later in the hospital.

“This lowly gasoline station worker deserves a monetary consolation and a special citation from the Mlang local government,” the mayor said.

Responding policemen recovered from the scene the robbers’ handguns, a 9 millimeter pistol and a Magnum .357 revolver.

North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza said she, too, was fascinated with how Isko exemplified volunteerism in fighting the three armed robbers.

Mendoza said her office will also award Isko with a separate citation for his exemplary presence of mind and courage.