Ciara, buntis at nagtatago sa US?

At least nine armed men robbed a gasoline station in Paco, Manila early morning yesterday, seriously wounding a family driver and taking off with at least P900,000 loot.

Yesterday’s robbery at the Equity Petron Gas Station along Pedro Gil street in Paco was reportedly the fourth time the place was robbed since last year, police said.

At around 6:30 a.m. yesterday, at least nine men on board motorcycles blocked a Nissan Urvan Escapade van that was delivering a large amount of cash to the gas station. The van, with four employees on board, reportedly came from the gas station owner’s house in Quezon City.

Two suspects at the driver’s side of the van fired, hitting the driver, Pablo Remoto, 44, in the right arm. He was rushed to the Philippine General Hospital.

The other suspects smashed the van’s windows and forced open its door. Then they ordered the cashier, Ma. Cristina Cruz, to hand over a box containing at least P900,000.

After getting their loot, the suspects sped off towards the direction of J. Nakpil street in Malate.

The van’s two other passengers, Erlinda Macaraig and Hedeliza Cruz, were spared by the suspects.

Police said there is a strong possibility that the series of robberies committed on the same gas station could be an inside job.

Yesterday’s suspects reportedly employed the same modus operandi from the previous attacks on the establishment, according to Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr., who heads the theft and robbery section of the Manila Police District.

Responding policemen recovered spent shells from 9-mm and .45 caliber pistols. The vehicle sustained three bullet holes on the right-side window.

Arevalo invited all the employees of the gas station for questioning.

“We will try to dig if there is an inside job in the series of robbery committed on the gas station. There is a strong possibility of an inside job since the suspects are all aware of the arrival of the van carrying the money,” he said.

Police have released sketches of two of the suspects. – Nestor Etolle