1 dead, 2 hurt as taxi-riding robbers strike

MANILA, Philippines - A company driver was killed and his two female co-workers were wounded when a group of men in a taxi robbed them minutes after they withdrew money from a bank in Valenzuela City Thursday afternoon.

Lamco Papers Inc. driver Ricky Nepomuceno, 35, died of multiple gunshot wounds while administrative staff Jennifer Dizon, 31, and Michelle Nepomuceno, 31, were wounded when several men ambushed them as they were on their way back to their office after withdrawing an undetermined amount of money from a China Bank branch in Paso de Blas at around 4:30 p.m., police said.

City police chief Rhoderick Armamento told The STAR the victims were in their car when the men who were tailing them flagged them down at gunpoint.

“One of the men grabbed Michelle’s bag but Ricky, who was trained by the Valenzuela police as a force multiplier, had the presence of mind to drive the car even if they were being peppered with gunfire,” Armamento said.

Although badly wounded, Nepomuceno managed to speed off but lost control and the car hit a concrete barrier. The suspects, however, were not able to get the company’s money. 

Bystanders took the victims to the hospital but the driver was declared dead on arrival at the Pacific Medical Center.

Armamento said the incident was caught by a surveillance camera and the footage shows the men in a striped taxi speeding toward Caloocan City.

He said they are checking whether the robbery was an inside job “because the perpetrators knew that they were going to withdrew money.”

MPD to ask bank on mugging

Meanwhile, the Manila Police District (MPD) is working with a bank in Binondo to identify two motorcycle-riding men who robbed and shot a broker last Wednesday.

A source told The STAR that investigators will ask the Union Bank branch on Muelle de Banco Nacional for copies of their surveillance camera footage on the day of the crime.

The MPD has also asked the Land Transportation Office to identify the owner of the motorcycle used in the robbery.

Mel Bañas had encashed a P900,000 check and was driving his motorcycle about 20 to 25 meters away from the bank when one of the two robbers, both wearing helmets, blocked his path and demanded the money at around 2:20 p.m.

Bañas told police he tried to speed away, prompting the robber to shoot him and commandeer his motorcycle. – With Aie Balagtas See