MANILA, Philippines?Two men suspected of being part of a taxi-robbing ring were arrested by Pasay City police after they held up another cab driver Friday night.

Police Officer 3 Ronaldo David of the Pasay City Station Intelligence and Investigation Division identified the suspects as Brando Bagisa, 30, of 31 Jupiter St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City, and Darwin Isip, 22, of 611 Isidro St., Pasay City.

The victim, Eduardo Dimafelix, 54, of Muntinlupa City, said three passengers declared a holdup on Roxas Boulevard near Edsa at 11:20 p.m. Friday. They took his day?s earnings amounting to P3,500, wristwatch and wallet.

One of the robbers tried to take over the steering wheel but Dimafelix pleaded that the vehicle be spared.

After the three alighted, Dimafelix shouted for help and chased them. SPO1 Jose Medina and security guards at nearby San Juan de Dios Hospital responded, leading to the arrest of two of the robbers.

David said there have been more than 20 similar robbery cases this year. Police called on the other victims to come and identify the suspects, who were recognized by one victim.

Cab driver Ben Lojera, 51, of Better Living Subdivision, Parañaque City, said he was robbed by the same suspects on Oct. 25 at 12:20 a.m. on Lawton Avenue, Makati City. The robbers took his cab which was recovered three days later on Evangelista Street, also in Makati.

David said ring members rob taxi drivers and use the cabs to escape, telling the cabbies where to find the vehicles later.

Isip, one of the suspects, said it was the fifth taxi robbery they staged.

?Nagigipit lang po (I was just hard up),? he said.

He denied their group was organized and that they were behind other taxi robberies, particularly one involving a City Star Cruiser cab in Pasay City on Thursday night.