2 men rob burger joint in Navotas

MANILA, Philippines - Police arrested two men for reportedly robbing a burger joint of its earnings past midnight yesterday in Navotas City.

PO3 Edwin de Guzman, Navotas City police investigator, said the suspects Bryan Patricio, 19, and Melvin Castillo, 20, also beat up Burger Machine personnel Katrina Tanda, 18, for resisting the heist.

De Guzman said the suspects ordered burgers from Tanda at a burger store on M. Naval street corner C-4 Road in Barangay Bagumbayan North in Navotas at around 12:30 a.m.

But after eating, the suspects both armed with bladed weapons announced a holdup and demanded Tanda’s earnings.

Tanda, instead of heeding the suspects, tried to fight back prompting the robbers to punch her in the face.

The suspects divested the victim of her P700 earnings and escaped on foot along the highway but were immediately arrested when they passed by a police checkpoint in the area.

The victim’s shouts for help caught the attention of the police officers, led by PO3 Roberto Balais and PO3 Marlo Veluz, who were manning the checkpoint. They arrested the suspects after a brief chase.

The police seized from Patricio and Castillo two knives but failed to recover the money.

Police were to file yesterday charges of robbery with physical injuries against the suspects with the Navotas City prosecutor’s office.      –