Sharp-shooting condo guards hailed for thwarting robbery

Two security guards received commendations from the Pasay City government during Monday’s flag ceremony at City Hall for gallantly thwarting a street robbery last month, wherein they came to the aid of a woman and killed her two motorcycle-riding assailants.

Feted in front of city government employees, Eldon Fernando Erispe of Isap security agency and Domingo Mellamina of CSA security agency were given certificates of commendation by Mayor Antonino Calixto and Superintendent Samuel Turla, officer-in-charge of the city police.

The two men were guarding the front and rear entrances of Park Avenue Mansion condominium on Park Avenue Street when they responded to a robbery that took place outside the building around 2 p.m. on October 27. “They both went out of their way to help,” Turla noted.

Turla said a scream drew Erispe’s attention to two robbers on a motorcycle who had just grabbed the bag of Primadona Ybareta, 24, a call center agent residing at the condo.

“Erispe even shouted at the armed robbers, ‘Hoy, itigil n’yo yan!’ when other security guards would have just let the incident pass,” the police official noted.

One of the robbers drew a gun but Erispe was quicker to the draw, killing the former. The other robber continued speeding on the bike and left his fallen cohort behind.

At this point, Erispe alerted Mellamina, the other security guard, who was then stationed at the back of the building. Spotting the second robber, Mellamina shot hit him as he drove past—but the robber still kept going despite being hit.

Responding policemen in Barangay (village) 81 chased the second robber up to Roxas Boulevard, where he fell off the bike and dropped dead before they could shoot, Turla said.

The certificates awarded to the two guards praised them for their “act of gallantry and unselfishness.” Turla further hailed them as “police multipliers” much needed by the force in its fight against street crimes.

Turla said City Hall’s commendations should serve as a basis for the guards’ promotion in their respective agencies.