Payroll robbers strike in Ortigas Center

Three motorcycle-riding armed men took P200,000 payroll money from a wheelchair-bound businesswoman in a broad daylight heist along the Ortigas Center in Pasig City yesterday.

The robbers struck some 500 meters away from the headquarters of the District Mobile Force of the Eastern Police District and almost a kilometer away from the EPD headquarters, both along Meralco Avenue.

The victim was identified as Ma. Teresa Rana, owner of Matts Travel Agency.

Police said Rana, accompanied by driver Victorino Axibal and messenger Florencio Quiambao, withdrew the payroll money yesterday from the Equitable-PCI Bank branch along Barangay Rosario.

At around 3:30 p.m., the suspects appeared from nowhere when Rana reached Ortigas Avenue near the corner of Meralco Avenue and demanded the money at gunpoint.

"Three men on a motorcycle came out of nowhere and pointed a gun at us while we were stopped by traffic," Axibal said.

Axibal said one of the robbers opened fire at the driver’s window twice before grabbing Rana’s bag and envelopes containing the payroll money. The robbers fled towards EDSA.