Jeepney holdup men used ‘new modus’

Seven people, including two minors, were arrested in Caloocan City early Friday after robbing jeepney passengers using a relatively new tactic, police said.

Chief Insp. Rodrigo Soriano, chief of Caloocan police’s investigation unit, noted that instead of just posing as passengers, the suspects pretended to be stranded commuters whose tricycle had broken down on Nangka Road, Barangay 79.

“This is quite a new modus operandi. The robbers (who were in a tricycle) stopped right in front of the jeepney, prompting the jeepney driver to get off,” Soriano said.

The robbers then took advantage of the situation, with one of them pointing a gun at the driver as the others took the passengers’ wallets and other valuables.

Soriano said the robbery, which took place at around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, was over in seconds, but “our men intercepted the suspects in Barangay Bagong Barrio a few minutes later.”

The suspects, including James Aquino, 28; Gilbert Sacil, 24; Rommel Presado, 20; Manuel Anzale, 19; and Jeff Kensley Corre, 18, were positively identified by the victims. Two other suspects were found to be minors.