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Friday, February 22, 2008
Cop thwarts payroll heist
By Marna H. Dagumboy
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A Pampanga policeman single-handedly foiled what could be the "perfect heist" of P673,000 in payroll money of a manpower agency here last Wednesday.
Senior Police Officer Manuel Canlas, assigned at the Pampanga Police Provincial Office, was on his way home for lunch when he chanced upon four armed men poking their guns at their victims along Perpetual Street in Barangay San Agustin.
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In an exchange of gunfire, Canlas was able to hit one of the suspects identified later as Jomari Minuluan Batan, 27, taxi dispatcher of Nirvana Taxi in Pasay City and of Pulo San Salvador, Masinloc, Zambales.
His three cohorts, however, managed to escape.
Batan was carrying the money they forcibly took from the victims.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
City of San Fernando Police Chief Renato Soria identified the robbery victims as Alvin Isip Martin, Alberto Pastera, Hector Cuyo Tadena, and Michael Orilla, all employees of 4RMS manpower agency.
Police said the 4RMS employees, who were on board a Toyota Town Ace van, were on their way back to the agency's office after withdrawing P672,693 from a bank when the four suspects, on board two motorcycles, overtook them and declared the hold-up.
The suspects ordered the victims to alight from the van and lie face down on the ground. It was at this moment that Canlas chanced upon them.
Recovered from Batan's possession were a caliber .9mm pistol, ammunition, and a blue TMX 155 motorcycle.
The payroll money inside the RCBC bag was recovered from Batan. A black bag containing P18,403 was also recovered from the wounded suspect.
Soria has commended Canlas for his courageous act.
Appropriate charges were filed against Batan and the owner of the recovered motorcycle identified as certain Albert Bartolome of Camarines Sur. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (February 22, 2008 issue)
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3 armed men rob company