3 cops stop Los Baños bus rob, nab 1 suspect

CAMP PACIANO RIZAL, Sta. Cruz, Laguna—Three policemen, one of them in uniform, foiled a robbery inside a bus by seven thieves in Los Baños, Laguna, early Tuesday.

An HM Transport Bus from Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and bound for Cubao in Quezon City was cruising on the national highway in Barangay Lalakay when two of the suspects announced a holdup immediately after boarding the bus in Los Baños town at around 8 a.m., said Chief Supt. Dante Novicio, Los Baños police chief.

Among the 36 passengers were three policemen—PO2 Roberto Cansanay of the Los Baños police and Police Officers 1 Jeffrey Bacay and Jimta Jur Ubbin of the Regional Public Safety Battalion.

The three policemen were seated at the back of the bus but two of them were in civilian clothes while Cansanay was in uniform.

“As the suspects were about to search the passengers’ bags, one of them noticed that Cansanay was about to draw his gun. This rattled the suspects,” Novicio said.

The suspects scampered to get off the bus but one of them fired his gun, hitting passenger Jenny Ortiz, 23, in the hand.

Ortiz was rushed to a hospital in the town and was out of danger.

Novicio said the three policemen gave chase and arrested one of the suspects, Dario Hallera, 29, of Makati City.

More policemen came to give chase to the other suspects. Novicio said no valuable was taken from the bus passengers.

Bus robberies have become frequent in many parts of Bulacan and some parts of provinces south of Metro Manila.