Customs man loses P1.4 M to robbers, family dog

MANILA, Philippines—Five armed men waylaid a Bureau of Customs employee two weeks ago in Quezon City, forcing themselves into his car and driving 12 kilometers to his house where they robbed him of about P1.4 million in cash, appliances and other valuables plus his family’s pet dog, police said Saturday.

A Shih Tzu worth P6,000 was among the belongings that lawyer Julito Doria said he lost to the robbers, who hogtied him and his family as they ransacked his home in Barangay Batasan Hills at 2 a.m. last April 6.

“The robbers saw the dog wandering about the house and even took it,” said Insp. Alan dela Cruz, chief of the theft and robbery section of the Quezon City Police District. Dela Cruz said the crime was initially reported to the Batasan Hills police station but was endorsed to his unit, which handles investigation of robberies involving more than P1 million, only last Thursday.

Doria, 42, claimed losing a total of P1.427 million in cash and other valuables. The amount included the equivalent of P615,000 in Philippine currency, US dollars and Chinese yuan.

He said he and his nephew ran into the robbers as they were driving through New Manila in his silver-colored Toyota Innova.

In their statement to police, the victims claimed they were blocked by a black Toyota Grandia on 9th Street. Five men got out of the van and commandeered the Innova, tying up Doria and his nephew before driving the vehicle to Doria’s address in Barangay Batasan Hills, a distance of 12 kilometers.

“The suspects appeared to know their target victim. They even knew where he lived,” Dela Cruz said.

Police said all five men wore shorts and hooded jackets and were armed with pistols.

At Doria’s house, the robbers forced themselves in and tied up Doria’s wife, Kristine. In 30 minutes, the robbers hauled off several gadgets and electronic appliances such as TVs, sound systems, laptops, external hard drives, cell phones, digital cameras and sports gear.

Doria said he also lost three pistols of different caliber, ammunition, IDs and credit cards, while his wife lost her IDs and credit cards to the robbers.

Dela Cruz noted that the robbers took even documents from the Toyota Innova, such as folders containing tax cases.

Dela Cruz said the robbers’ Grandia may have waited outside the subdivision where the victims lived. The robbers fled with Doria and his nephew aboard the Innova, where the stolen items were first loaded.

Upon exiting the subdivision, the Grandia was seen trailing the Innova, which was eventually abandoned along with the hogtied Doria and his nephew on E. Rodriguez Boulevard in Barangay Manuel, Galas, Dela Cruz said.