PUJ robber killed

A suspected holdup man was shot dead while his two companions were injured after they were fired upon by an off-duty policeman who was one of the jeepney passengers they attempted to rob Wednesday night in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Police Officer 1 Boy Niño Baladjay, 24, detailed at the Caloocan police station, surrendered his service firearm, a .9 mm Beretta, to the Manila police after the shooting incident.

Killed on the spot was JC Igham, 25, of 1549 M. Hizon street, Sta. Cruz, Manila. His companions, Henry Fernandez, 22, of 1922 Katamanan street, Tondo, and a 15-year-old boy, of 1269 Bambang street, Sta. Cruz, are now recuperating at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center for gunshot wounds. Recovered from the suspects were two fan knives.

Two passengers were also hit by stray bullets and were rushed to the same hospital. Joseph Santos, 20, a waiter, of Longos, Malabon; and Roxandro San Pedro, 28, of Sampaloc, were pronounced by doctors out of danger.

Investigations showed the three suspected holdup men boarded a passenger jeepney (TVE-838) near the Manila City Hall. The driver told police one of the suspects stayed at the running board while his companions took separate seats inside the jeepney.

As the vehicle reached the corner of Rizal Avenue and Remigio streets in Sta. Cruz, the suspects pulled out their knives and announced the holdup.

The policeman, who was in civilian clothes, immediately drew his service firearm, but was pounced by one of the suspects. Successive shots were then heard.

When the smoke cleared, one of the suspects lay bloodied inside the jeepney, while his two bloodied companions fled. Bystanders chased and collared the fleeing suspects. – Nestor Etolle