Dentist subdues burglar in Caloocan

Thanks to a working knowledge of martial arts that came in very handy, a lady dentist single-handedly overpowered a male intruder she caught breaking into her house early yesterday morning in Caloocan City.

Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, Station Investigation and Detection Management Bureau (SIDMB) chief, identified the suspect as Emmanuel Cielos Jr. alias "Maweng," 21, of Kabulusan 1, Caloocan City.

Dr. Angelita Lanuza y Sorredo, 33, of 82 Kabulusan Street, Caloocan City has filed charges of robbery and physical injuries against Cielos, her neighbor, before the Caloocan City Prosecutors Office. The suspect is now detained at the city jail.

Investigation showed that at about 2:30 a.m. yesterday, the bonnet-masked Cielos gained entry into Lanuza’s house by breaking open a window. Lanuza was awakened by the noise created by the suspect. The victim then went down from her bedroom upstairs to check but to her surprise she found Cielos, too busy to even notice her, rummaging through her cabinets for loot.

Mustering enough courage, she dashed toward the suspect at the same time shouting for help. The surprised suspect however turned toward Lanuza and lunged at her with a knife in one hand and a handsaw he held in the other. The suspect grabbed her neck and stabbed her once but missed. The lightning-quick Lanuza then let loose with a flying kick that hit Cielos right smack in the head stunning him. Lanuza followed up with near fatal karate chops that disoriented and finally immobilized the suspect. Her sister Marilou came to her aid and disarmed Cielos. Grabbing his mask, they recognized him. Their housemates, who were roused from their sleep, tied Cielos hands and later called the police for assistance.

Lanuza said she had been robbed twice earlier losing P45,000 in the first incident last July and some P41,000 in the second. She said she had always suspected Cielos to be the culprit but could not pin him down until that day. She said that immediately after each robbery, she would notice lavish merrymaking in her neighbor’s house. She became suspicious because she knew Cielos was allegedly a known drug user apart from being jobless.

Cielos admitted to the two incidents of robbery cited by Lanuza but bewailed his catch this time: P500 in cash he got from a wallet the dentist left on top of the TV set. The money and the wallet were returned to the victim.