2 robbers get life for killing call center agent

A Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge meted life imprisonment yesterday on two robbers who shot dead a female call center agent during an FX taxi robbery in the city in April last year.

In her 12-page decision, Pasig RTC Branch 268 Judge Amelia Manalastas found Ryan Corcuera, 22, of Barangay Rosario and Rodeo Bartolome, of Barangay Kapasigan, guilty of killing Charlene Santos, a former University of the Philippines student.

Manalastas ordered the two convicts to pay Santos’ heirs P660,000 for moral damages, attorney’s fees and reparation.

Santos was on her way to work in an FX taxi when the two suspects and their companions announced the heist along Ortigas Avenue in Barangay Rosario on April 2 last year.

At gunpoint, the robbers asked Santos to hand over her cell phone but she resisted. One of the robbers fired at Santos, hitting her in the face. She was declared dead on arrival at the Pasig City General Hospital.

Several days after her death, Corcuera and Bartolome were arrested by the Pasig City police during follow-up operations.

The taxi driver and other passengers of the FX taxi identified Corcuera – who is facing a string of other cases – as the gunman, police said.

Santos’ parents, both teachers, said their daughter bought the cell phone as a gift to a family member.  – Non Alquitran