Guard shot and killed by rob suspects
A SECURITY guard was shot and killed before dawn yesterday by two armed men who attempted to rob the 24-hour convenience store he was guarding in Manila. Musanip Aragasi, 34, employed with the Jimenez protective and security agency, of Navotas City, had scuffled with one of the armed men, who had announced a hold-up, for the possession of a handgun but was shot in the back by the other robber. The sight of the badly wounded security guard apparently discouraged the robbers from proceeding with the heist and caused them to flee empty-handed. Aragasi was declared dead on arrival by attending doctors at the Ospital ng Maynila from three bullet wounds in the back and in the abdomen. Police said the suspects arrived at the scene around 4:25 a.m. aboard a taxi (TUV-575). Two of them got off and appeared to buy something from the convenience store. Instead, one of them poked a handgun at Aragasi and announced the holdup.Police said Aragasi instinctively grabbed the gun aimed at him and wrestled with the suspect. During the scuffle, the gun went off twice, with one of the bullets hitting Aragasi in the abdomen. Jeannette I. Andrade
Man in car theft wants to turn state witness
THE 22-YEAR-OLD self-confessed carjacker, Edelberto Marteja, wants to become a state witness against the members of his gang who are still on the loose. The Quezon City Police District however seems not keen in supporting his bid as Marteja appears to be one of the leaders of the Marteja-Briones carjack gang. “He is not the ‘least guilty’ when you talk about his participation in the carjacking hits that he admitted they had staged,” said district director Chief Supt. George Regis. Marteja, who has given his police captors valuable information such as the types of vehicles his group goes after and even anticar theft tips, was arrested last month aboard a stolen vehicle. Insp. Rogelio Diaz, chief investigator of the QCPD’s District Anti-Carnapping Unit, said Marteja’s camp is working on documents for the Department of Justice and the court to back his bid. Julie M. Aurelio
P142-M lotto winner claims his prize
THE LONE winner of the P142.8-million jackpot during the Aug. 24 Grand Lotto 6/55 draw claimed his prize Thursday, according to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). The winner, a 33-year-old truck driver, went to the PCSO Office at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City to claim his check, said PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II. A resident of Caloocan City and a father of one, the new millionaire plans to spend part of his prize to buy a house and lot and put up his own transport hauling services facility. Lauro Patiag, PCSO internal audit manager, also said the winner plans to share his newfound wealth with his parents and siblings. Patiag spoke to the winners as part of the process in releasing the prizes to them. The bettor paid P40 for lotto tickets, including one that hit the winning combination 09-01-06-40-16-35, Rojas said, adding that the winner picked random numbers. The bettor, who under lottery rules is never identified for security reasons, hit the jackpot after five years of regularly buying tickets. The biggest lotto prize on record—P741 million—was won on Nov. 29, 2010, by a “balikbayan.” Tina G. Santos
