Caloocan watchman faces theft rap

MANILA, Philippines—Two robbery suspects, including a barangay tanod (village watchman), were arrested in separate incidents in Caloocan City on Thursday night and Friday morning.

In Barangay 172, Loreto Macanas Jr., 33, was arrested by fellow barangay watchmen after he allegedly robbed a house in Franville V Subdivision.

Investigation showed that the victim, Marissa Mallari, 27, and a resident of the subdivision, was taking a nap inside her house at around 11:45 p.m. on Thursday when the incident happened.

Mallari told the police that she awoke and saw the suspect stealing several items inside her bedroom, and left the house.

Macanas took a P5,000 LG cell phone, a P2,500 Orris tablet, and a wallet containing about P2,300 in cash.

After he left, Mallari followed the suspect to his hideout and sought help from other barangay watchmen, who then arrested Macanas and turned him over to the police. The cell phone and tablet were recovered, but the wallet was not.

Meanwhile, in Camarin, another man, identified as 27-year-old Nicko Lucas, was arrested after robbing a jeepney passenger of his belongings early on Friday morning.

The victim, 46-year-old security guard Danilo Patriarca, told the police that he was riding in a jeep traveling along Zapote Road at around 3:30 a.m. on Friday when the incident happened.

The suspect, who posed as a passenger, pointed a fan knife at the victim and ordered him to surrender his backpack, which contained a cell phone, P900 in cash and his ID cards.

Patriarca surrendered the bag and Lucas left the jeepney. Witnesses then reported the incident to the police, who later on arrested the suspect in a nearby street. The backpack was not recovered, but police seized a fan knife from the victim.

Charges of theft are being prepared for the suspects in the two separate incidents.