Mandaluyong cop foils bus holdup, kills three robbers

A policeman single-handedly killed three robbers during a five-minute shootout on Saturday inside an air-conditioned passenger bus in Mandaluyong City.

Metro police chief Director Ricardo de Leon immediately recommended spot promotion for SPO1 Charlito Corpuz for his "extraordinary courage and gallantry."

"He has exemplified the finest character of a police officer when confronted with imminent danger. His valor beyond the call of duty without regard for his personal safety is praiseworthy," said De Leon.

Corpuz, who is assigned at the Police Community Precinct 1 (PCP1) of the Mandaluyong City police, sustained a gunshot wound in the right arm. But Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, director of the Eastern Police District, assured his family that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will shoulder his hospital and other expenses.

Valenzuela said only one of the slain robbers, Cesar Andangan, 23, a native of Zamboanga City and resident of McArthur Highway, Maycauayan, Bulacan, was identified through a driver’s license.

The second suspect appears to be between 20 to 25 years old while the third suspect is about 40 years old.

The EPD director said Corpuz boarded the JMK-Jojo bus in Fairview, Quezon City to report for work at about 8 p.m. on Saturday and seated himself behind the bus driver, Dante Mendoza, of Cinco Hermanos, Marikina City.

Mendoza said the three suspects boarded the bus in front of Camp Crame. One of them sat near the driver, another sat three seats away and the third one took the back seat.

When the bus was near the EDSA-Shaw Crossing, Andangan reportedly took out his caliber .45 automatic pistol, pointed it to Mendoza and announced a heist. His two companions also rose from their seats brandishing handguns and ordered the passengers to lie face down and not make any move.

Sensing danger, Corpuz drew his caliber .45 service firearm, identified himself and engaged the suspects in a shootout.

He first shot the suspect seated near the driver before engaging the two other suspects. He was hit though in the right arm.

A bus passenger, Rolando Gaddi, 31, a helper, was hit by a stray bullet.

De Leon, Valenzuela and Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, Mandaluyong City police chief, rushed to the area and brought Corpuz and Gaddi to the Victor Ponciano General Hospital.

Velasquez said they recovered two caliber .45 automatic pistols and a caliber .38 revolver from the three robbers.

Velasquez credited Corpuz’s strong confidence in using his gun to the two-week shooting practice conducted by his command at a local firing range maintained by the City Hall.

"I arranged a shooting competition among my PCPs and it paid off handsomely with Corpuz’s heroic feat against the three robbers," Velasquez told The Star.

Velasquez said a surgery is needed to remove the slug embedded on Corpuz’s right hand but he is in a stable condition.