Cop foils holdup of bus passengers

MANILA—A Valenzuela City policeman prevented a holdup of bus passengers in Quezon City late Tuesday night and arrested one of the robbers following a brief shootout in which two persons—a robber and a passenger—were wounded.

PO1 Frankie San Pedro, 24, assigned with the Northern Police District, happened to be on the Valenzuela City-bound bus when two men, armed with knives and a handgun, announced a holdup.

The policeman, who was on his way to work, immediately introduced himself and accosted the hoodlums, triggering the shootout. Suspect Mark Charlie Ang, 18, of Sitio San Roque in Barangay Bagong Pagasa; and 26-year-old bus passenger Jonnafe Lazano were hit by bullets.

Quezon City Police District’s Masambong station commander Supt. Pedro Sanchez said that the incident happened around 10:30 p.m Tuesday, at the intersection of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue and Quezon Avenue in Barangay Bagong Pagasa.

Sanchez said that two men, later identified as Ang and a “Gerry Bisaya,” flagged down the Pamana Transport Services bus at the street corner and declared the heist as they got on. The robbers divested one of the passengers of his wristwatch and another passenger of his bag.

According to the station commander, San Pedro immediately drew his service pistol, introduced himself as a policeman and attempted to arrest Gerry Bisaya. But the robber pulled out a gun and pointed it at the policeman, who instinctively fired first to defend himself.

Although San Pedro missed, the bullet hit Ang, who was standing behind his cohort. Gerry Bisaya shot the policeman but hit Lazano on the left arm instead. Gerry Bisaya then jumped off the bus and escaped. Ang, though wounded, tried to run but was shot in the thigh by the policeman, who caught up with him and arrested him. Recovered from the suspect was a stolen bag and a fan knife.

Sanchez said that both Ang and the wounded passenger were taken to the Quezon City General Hospital.