When you make the mistake of robbing a cop, you’re going to get nabbed in record time.
“On Sunday, Jan 12, five members of the so-called Laglag Barya Gang identified as Michael dela Cruz, 30; Resty Hopio, 23; Ehzier Fortuna, 36; Joven Patropes, 25; and Jill Ryan Ibardoloza, 35; were arrested three hours after they robbed a passenger on a jeepney,” reports Julie M. Aurelio in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The robbery happened at around 220pm at the corner of West and Quezon Avenues in Barangay West Triangle, Quezon City.
Unknown to the robbers, one of the jeepney’s passengers was PO1 Liberato Antang, 25, a rookie policeman assigned with the Special Action Force in Laguna province.
The five men boarded the jeep and one of them immediately created a distraction by supposedly dropping coins. Antang leaned down to help pick up the coins. That was when one of the men tried to pick his pocket. Antang noticed what was happening. As such, one of the men, Pantropes, drew a knife and demanded that Antang give up his wallet.
Antang complied with the robbers’ demand. However, when they got down from the jeepney, Antang went after Pantropes. He caught Pantropes, who later directed the police to his gang’s “safehouse” at the South Homes Apartelle on Timog Avenue.
The report revealed that police recovered from the group were drug paraphernalia, two knives, four mobile phones, several women’s bags, as well as Antang’s wallet which contained PHP7,000.
Photo from MorgueFile
