South African tourist robbed after stepping out of Manila airport

MANILA, Philippines—A South African tourist was allegedly robbed Monday afternoon of cash by a taxi driver and his cohort in Manila.

Peter Neeskens, 59, a coffee house manager, lodged a complaint before the Manila Police District General Assignment Section (MPD-GAS) claiming that he lost P4,000 in cash, 200 euros, a mobile phone, and several of his identification and automated teller machine cards to the driver of a taxi he flagged down at the international airport and the driver’s accomplice.

He jotted down the license plate of the white Hyundai taxi as UIY 615 or UIY 613. Neeskens’ uncertainty about the license plate, MPD-GAS investigators explained, was due to the fact that the cab markings were fading.

Neeskens’ complaint stated that the robbery happened at around 1 p.m., along Quezon Boulevard in front of the Quiapo Church where the taxi driver allegedly picked up his knife-wielding cohort with Neeskens still aboard the cab.

Before the robbery, the tourist flagged down the taxi outside the airport and asked to be ferried to a terminal of provincial buses bound for Northern Luzon. Neeskens noticed that while the taxi driver was driving, he was talking to someone on his mobile phone.

The complainant paid little notice to the call until they traversed Quezon Boulevard and the taxi driver stopped to allow a man to board the cab beside Neeskens. The man allegedly pointed a knife at the tourist and divested him of his wallet.

Neeskens was then ordered by the taxi driver and the robber to get off along R. Hidalgo street in front of the San Sebastian Church.

The South African tourist immediately reported the robbery to the police.

Operatives of the MPD-GAS have conducted follow-up operations for the identification and arrest of the robbers, as well as the recovery of the stolen items.