SWAT sniper takes down robber

MANILA, Philippines – With one shot, a member of the Caloocan City police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) sniper team killed a robber who took a passenger hostage in a jeepney in Monumento Saturday afternoon.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos said the bullet hit the robber, who remains unidentified, in the right cheek.

“A sniper, who was around eight to 10 meters away from the jeepney, saw an opportunity and shot the suspect while he was pointing a knife at the neck of the victim,” Santos told The STAR.

Police Officer 2 Edgar Manapat said nursing student Eveth Velasco, 20, was in a passenger jeepney driven by Reynaldo Cacho, 46, when one of her fellow passengers suddenly grabbed her bag while they were at the corner of Edsa and Gen. Concepcion street at around 2:30 p.m.

Velasco resisted, prompting the robber to grab her by the neck. Cacho stopped his vehicle and the other passengers, except Velasco, were able to escape. They called for police assistance.

A mobile patrol team and a SWAT team arrived and tried to negotiate with the robber to free Velasco, but instead of giving up, the suspect pulled a knife and warned police officers that he would kill Velasco.

PO1 Jonathan dela Cruz, who had just finished his SWAT training, fired a single shot to “neutralize” the robber as he tried to stab Velasco’s neck, Santos said.