Armed men rob family of P3M in cash, valuables inside QC home

MANILA, Philippines—A family lost cash and items worth P3 million to five armed men who barged into their home in Quezon City Sunday afternoon, the police said.

Johnny Monje, 45, his wife Mayreen, 45, his daughter Rimman, 17, and his brother-in-law Ricardo Valdez, 31, lost P1.5 million, $10,000, a .40 cal. pistol, assorted jewelry and gadgets to the assailants who entered their home on K-8 Road, Barangay (village) East Kamias at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

“It was a normal Sunday, a family day, and we never thought this could happen. It all happened within 15 minutes,” said Rod Monje, a relative who accompanied the victims to the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU).

Case investigator Police Officer 2 Jogene Hernandez said Valdez was repairing a closed-circuit TV camera and left the gate partially open when one of the suspects suddenly pointed a gun and forced him to descend from the ladder then into the house.

Monje was resting in the living room when the five suspects entered with Valdez.

The leader of the gang then ordered Mayreen to open their vault and hand over the family’s valuables.

The other family members were tied with electrical cords cut from their appliances and then locked in the stockroom before the suspects fled using a taxi with no plate number, according to Hernandez.

The armed men even warned the family not to open the door because doing so would pull a pin of a grenade.

Anti-robbery and theft unit head Inspector Alan dela Cruz said they are now pursuing a possible gang, based on the description of the suspects’ modus operandi.

“We have a lead and we’re narrowing down our search to some suspects but this is subject to verification,” said Dela Cruz.