Makati cops foil Skyway bus robbery

Police collared five armed men and took the driver and conductor of an aircon bus for questioning in an attempt to rob passengers before noon in Makati City yesterday.

Senior Police Officer 4 Jake Reyes, Makati Special Operations Group (MSOG) chief, identified the suspects as Jesie Talarion, 33, of Sta. Maria, Bulacan; Andy Villareal, 20, of Antipolo street, Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila; Narrex Labao, 28, of Sapang Palay, Bulacan; Reynaldo Catiis, 37; and Romeo de Guzman, 23, both of Sta. Maria, Bulacan.

Reyes said they are still interrogating the driver of Sanmen Bus No. 521 (PYA-926) and his conductor to find out if they were working with the gang of robbers.

"Ang sabi ng ibang pasehero, para daw nag -aalangan ang driver kung didiretso siyang bumiyahe o hindi," he said.

Initial investigation showed at around 11 a.m., Reyes received a tip from a police asset who claimed five men were about to board and rob a public utility bus.

Reyes immediately called the police mobile and Special Weapons and Tactics teams for back up. "We anticipated the traffic and were worried we would not reach the bus in time so we called the nearest police sub-station for assistance."

The asset told him that the suspects were planning to announce the heist when they reached the approach of the Skyway. When the MSOG arrived at the scene, the bus, plying the Fairview-Alabang route, was just about to take the Skyway.

The police blocked and boarded the bus then frisked the passengers. They recovered a caliber.38 revolver with five bullets and three kitchen knives from the suspects.

"In fact, they just bought two knives in Cubao, where they boarded the bus. There were 30 other passengers in the bus," Reyes said.

The suspects claimed they were not planning to rob passengers but just get the conductor‘s fare collection.

He said the suspects belong to the "Bulacan Group." One of the suspects — De Guzman — had a previous record for robbing a Corinthian bus line.

Reyes said the suspect had an axe to grind against the bus company, where he once worked as a conductor, after he was allegedly denied of compensation and benefits. – Evelyn Macairan