Trader shot dead in P.6-M San Juan heist

Three motorcycle-riding armed men shot and killed a Filipino-Chinese trader yesterday during a P600,000 robbery at the boundary of the cities of San Juan and Mandaluyong.

San Juan City police chief Superintendent Rodelio Jocson and Mandaluyong police chief Senior Superintendent Ericson Velasquez had their men erect checkpoints along the suspected escape route taken by the three suspects in the heist but failed to intercept them.

Doctors at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center tried to save Benito Tan, 55, who died of two gunshot wounds in his torso.

Jocson said Tan, a resident of Mandaluyong City, and a friend withdrew P600,000 from the United  Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) branch in Mandaluyong City at 1 p.m.

Tan and his companion were in a white Toyota Fortuner (ZBR-542) and traveling towards his office when the suspects blocked their path along P. Guevarra street in Barangay Addition Hills. Police said the suspects opened fire at the victim’s vehicle, hitting Tan in the body.

After taking the cash from Tan, the suspects escaped on a red XRM motorcycle with no license plate as bystanders rushed Tan to the hospital. Police later recovered the victim’s abandoned vehicle.

Jocson vowed to conduct relentless follow-up operations to identify and arrest the suspects.