Armed motorcyle riders behind Manila, Pasay robberies

A group of armed motorcycle-riding suspects are responsible for a string of night-time robberies in Manila and Pasay City.

According to a 24 Oras report by Emil Sumangil on Tuesday, the same suspects appear to have robbed several people over the course of a few days at the same areas.

CCTV footage showed a group composed of six men riding in tandem on motorcycles following then cornering a man who had just withdrawn P3,000 from an ATM near P. Ocampo Street before escaping towards Pasay City.

A similar incident occurred earlier the same evening when the suspects attempted to rob a woman near the same neighborhood.

Early morning on Tuesday, another robbery in the area took place after a suspect on a motorcycle stole the mobile phone of a foreigner walking along the street before riding off towards Pasay City.

“Kaya ako naki-usap na mapalabas ito sa TV, kasi ang mga kapitbahay, kahit madilim makikilala ang mga ito… Nakakatakot kasi, biro mo, tatlo, may mga baril. Bali anim! Ano magagawa ng mga tanod kung ganoon?” said Barangay 719, Zone 78 chairman Honorable Jaime Adriano.

“Talagang trabaho na nila. Kung minsan, Taft Avenue, Roxas Boulevard. Umiikot sila pag naka tiyempo,” he added.

(That’s why I requested the footage to be shown on TV. Residents might be able to identify them even if it’s dark. It’s scary, what can my barangay tanods do against six armed men?

This is what they do. They ride around Taft Avenue and Roxas Boulevard looking for victims.)

Manila Police District Director Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay vowed to address the problem.

“I have directed the Station 9 Commander (Malate Police Station) at sa District Tactical Motorized Unit na makipag ugnayan sa barangay na nakakasakop para mapatrulyahan at hulihin ang mga ito. Aaksyunan namin ito,” said Ibay.

(I have directed my men to coordinate with the concerned barangays so we can conduct patrols and catch these criminals.) — Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News