Payroll robber lynched by mob

One of the three motorcycle-riding robbers was killed by a mob as he was cornered following a payroll robbery Thursday night in Caloocan City.

The slain suspect, identified as Richard Lovete, 30, a resident of the Fatima Hospital compound in Valenzuela City, sustained a lone stab wound in the chest apart from bruises in different parts of the body.

According to Superintendent Richard Albano, chief of the Northern Police District-District Intelligence and Investigation Division (NPD-DIID), Ben Cuaton, 24, secretary of Pherica International Corp. on C-3 Road, Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City, had just alighted from his vehicle with driver Ubaldo Raymundo, when they were waylaid by three armed men at around 7 p.m. in front of the firm’s offices.

The suspects, riding a red Kawasaki motorcycle with plate number VG-9724, blocked the path of Cuaton and Ubaldo while they were about to enter their office compound. The secretary was carrying P80,000 in payroll money.

Armed with a .357 revolver, Lovete ordered Cuaton to hand to one of his companions the bag containing the cash.

Ubaldo, however, shouted for help as the suspects tried to flee aboard their motorcycle.

Bystanders came to the victims’ aid.

The responding bystanders attempted to stop the robbers, but Lovete pointed his firearm at them. The gun misfired.

The angry crowd then beat up the robbers as they passed by them on their getaway vehicle.

Lovete was hit and fell from the motorcycle. The two other suspects escaped taking with them the payroll money, PO2 Rodrigo Gadia said.

The mob took turns mauling the fallen suspect and one of them stabbed Lovete in the chest.

DIID operatives, led by SPO1 Emmanuel Buhisan, with District Mobile Force (DMF) officers, headed by PO1 Arnel Sarmiento and PO1 Joel Saludes, who came to the crime scene, found a bloodied Lovete on the pavement.

Police brought the suspect to Tondo Medical Center for treatment, but he was declared dead on arrival by Dr. Carlos Padilla.

Officers also recovered Lovete’s revolver loaded with six bullets.

The suspect’s remains were brought to Sol Funeral Homes for autopsy. As of press time yesterday, not one of the suspect’s relatives have come to claim the body, Gadia said.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Noe Wong, ordered his men yesterday to conduct follow-up operations for the possible identification and arrest of the two other suspects believed to be responsible for the series of robberies, particularly in the Dagat-Dagatan area in Caloocan and the neighboring city of Malabon and the coastal town of Navotas.