Man tagged in Pasig ATM heists nabbed

A man landed in jail on Christmas Day after he was caught allegedly trying to rob a woman who had just withdrawn P4,000 from an automated teller machine (ATM) in Pasig City.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Lino Calingasan said Ferdinand Delmendo, 40, of Ronquillo street in Tropang Bagsik, Tipas, Taguig City, did not put up a fight when patrolling policemen chanced upon him grappling with his victim, overseas worker Fatima Montong, 50.

Calingasan said Delmendo was tagged by the Pasig City police as the one behind a rash of ATM robberies with the same modus operandi he used on Montong.

Montong was withdrawing money from an ATM booth along Mabini street in Barangay Kapasigan when Delmendo lined up behind her, acting as another client, at about 2:49 p.m. Thursday.

While she was transacting at the ATM booth, Delmendo suddenly pressed a button of the machine until it released P4,000. Delmendo then grabbed the money from the machine, but Montong grappled for its possession, said Superintendent Ramiro Bausa, Pasig City police chief.

“It was at this juncture when patrolling policemen rushed to the scene attracted by a commotion between the victim and the suspect,” Bausa added.

At the police station, Bausa said another ATM client, Linda Sibbaluca, 69, identified Delmendo as the same man who grabbed the P10,000 she had just withdrawn.

Bausa said he ordered an intensified patrol in the vicinity of banks in Pasig City because of the rampant robberies of ATM clients.

He called on other ATM clients who were victimized using the same modus operandi to check whether Delmendo was the one who robbed them so additional charges would be filed against him.