EDSA ‘operation’ caught by CCTV camera

MANILA, Philippines - An “operation” staged by armed men who were seen taking the occupants of a Toyota Fortuner along EDSA in Mandaluyong City last Monday was caught by a closed-circuit television camera, police said yesterday.

The video, however, is blurred and investigators are having difficulty getting the images of the gunmen and the plate number of their vehicles, city police chief Senior Superintendent Tyrone Masigon said.

He said they are coordinating with Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, head of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group, to enhance the images on the video.

According to Masigon, no one has gone to the city police to report the incident in order for investigators to determine if it was a carjacking, a kidnapping or a legitimate police operation – though no government agency has owned up to it.

He said the city police will coordinate with business establishments where the gunmen may have driven following the operation.

A Twitter user uploaded a photo of the incident, which occurred along EDSA about 300 meters from Ortigas Ave-nue at around 2:40 p.m. on Monday. The photo shows four vehicles – two Toyota Fortuners, a Toyota van and a Honda City – at full stop. At least four men were shown pointing their guns at one of the Fortuners.

The Twitter user left the area after taking the photos and did not known what was the incident all about.

Another witness

A witness interviewed by TV5 claimed he saw the incident and heard the armed men commanding the driver of the Fortuner to alight from his vehicle.

When there was an apparent resistance from the driver, the witness said one of the armed men smashed the back windshield but the man did not move, prompting another gunman to smash the windshield.

Kung ayaw mong madamay ang mga bata, bumaba ka (If you do not want the children involved, get out),” the witness quoted one of the gunmen as telling the driver of the Fortuner.

The witness said the driver – a man who looked Chinese – alighted and the gunmen dragged him to the back seat of the Fortuner, while another gunman took over the vehicle.

He said the vehicle moved as if the gunman was not familiar with driving that type of vehicle.