AUTHORITIES arrested four suspects in a series of convenience store robberies and a shooting incident in Barangay New Lower Bicutan, Taguig City.
In a statement, Taguig police said two suspects were arrested following an investigation into a hold-up incident in a convenience store in Barangay Wawa about 2:20 a.m. on March 10.
Initial investigation showed two men entered the store and declared a hold-up, threatening employees with firearms.
The suspects fled after pocketing P11,000 from the cash register and several chocolates.
The arrest took place in San Pedro, Laguna. Authorities recovered a 9-millimeter pistol, one magazine, and eight rounds of live ammunition.
Police said the arrested suspects were also involved in a series of robberies targeting convenience stores across Taguig. Two cohorts were identified and are now subjects of manhunt operations.
In a separate operation, Taguig police arrested two suspects in connection with a shooting incident in Barangay New Lower Bicutan on March 13.
The suspects were immediately arrested in Barangay New Lower Bicutan.
Recovered during the operation was a .45 caliber pistol, a magazine, and several rounds of live ammunition.
Police said the suspects will face charges while follow-up operations continue to locate individuals linked to the robberies.
Taguig Chief of Police Colonel Julius C. Añonuevo said the arrests resulted from thorough investigation and coordinated police operations.
“These arrests show the strong coordination among our units and the hard work of our investigators. Our officers acted quickly to identify and locate the suspects involved in these incidents," he said.
Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano commended the Taguig police for their swift action.
“We thank our police officers for their dedication in keeping our communities safe. The City of Taguig will continue supporting efforts to make criminals pay for their crimes,” she said.
Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed police units to beef up efforts to crack down on street-level crimes. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)