Three robbers, two civilians killed in bus hold-up incident, police chase in Metro Manila

By Ronron
May 31, 2007

Three suspected robbers and two civilians were killed in a bus hold-up incident that resulted to a police chase operations on Thursday morning in the capital.

Sr. Supt. Magtanggol Gatdula, chief of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said six men who turned out to be robbers boarded an air-conditioned JMK bus bound for Caloocan City past 9am yesterday near Buendia-Guadalupe area in Makati City.

When the bus reached Boni Avenue area in Mandaluyong City, the suspects declared the heist and proceeded to cart belongings of the passengers.

Upon reaching Cubao in Quezon City, Gatdula said one passenger was allowed to alight. This passenger reported the hold-up incident to a police mobile, which then alerted all police stations in Quezon City.

Gatdula said that upon reaching the middle of Muñoz and Balintawak in EDSA, Quezon City, the suspects found policemen waiting for them. This prompted the suspects to order the bus driver to stop. But before alighting, the suspects, who were armed with short firearms and a grenade, shot dead the driver and one passenger.

They then commandeered a red Mistubishi Adventure, taking along three civilians as their hostage, and drove off north-bound.

The chase ended up at Barangay Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City at around 11:15 am where three suspects were gunned down and three others were arrested.

Gatdula said the suspects failed to drive farther because the vehicle was just running on flat tires.

Gatdula said they have yet to ascertain which group the suspects belong. “One of them is said to be a native of Leyte. But we still have to check on the records because we have a group called Batang Samar Leyte,” he said./DMS