2 rob suspects arrested for rescuer’s death

Two suspected robbers were arrested after they were linked to the death of a man who tried to defend his mother allegedly attacked by the pair on a pedestrian footbridge in Quezon City.

Bienvenido Soriano, 34, and his stepson John Paul Retone, 18, were nabbed at their house on NIA Road in Barangay (village) Pinyahan for the death of Nocky Briguez, 30, on Monday night.

Quezon City Police District director Senior Superintendent Richard Albano said Briguez fell from a footbridge at the corner of Edsa and Quezon Avenue while struggling with two men who snatched the gold necklace of his 68-year-old mother, Paz.

Paz said they were supposed to take the MRT at that time when two men walked up to them and grabbed her gold necklace.

A scuffled ensued between Briguez and one of the men, but the victim lost his balance and embraced his mother before they fell off the stairs. The two suspects then ran away with the gold necklace.

Briguez suffered fatal body injuries while his mother was also hurt.

Inspector Elmer Monsalve said a female “barker” (one who calls out to would-be passengers seeking a jeepney or bus ride) tagged the two suspects as the robbers, leading to their arrest on Thursday evening.

Police found an improvised gun (paltik) on Soriano while Retone yielded a bladed weapon.

Monsalve said the two underwent inquest proceedings for charges of robbery with homicide and physical injuries and illegal possession of deadly weapon under the Omnibus Election Code.