Rob suspects ask victim for ‘Christmas gift’

MANILA, Philippines - Two men told a grocery store owner in Novaliches, Quezon City that they were just asking for “Christmas gifts” when they robbed her Friday night.

The two men, who barged into Maricel Rana’s store along Sauyo Road at around 9:30 p.m., supposedly said, “Ibigay niyo na ang pera. Namamasko lang kami. Hindi namin kayo sasaktan (Give us the money. We’re just asking for Christmas gifts. We’re not going to hurt you),” said Senior Superintendent Neri Ilagan, deputy director for operations of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said in an interview.

QCPD Station 4 commander Superintendent Crisostomo Mendoza said the suspects, each armed with a .38 caliber handgun, raided the cash register and fled. However, grocery store personnel called up the police as the suspects were escaping.

Ilagan said the police officers from QCPD Station 4 arrived at the scene within five minutes after the call and saw the suspects as they were leaving. The two suspects allegedly shot at the police officers, who retaliated and killed them.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Mario dela Vega said the two suspects remain unidentified but the P5,000 they allegedly stole from Rana was recovered following the encounter.

Ilagan said one of the suspects had a Sigue-Sigue Spuntik gang tattoo while the other had the mark of the Batang City Jail gang.