POLICE on Tuesday warned the public against criminal groups that are expected to increasingly search for victims at commercial centers, shopping malls, public conveyances and other crowded areas in Metro Manila as the Christmas season draws near.
Metro Manila police director Oscar Albayalde ordered all district commanders—Central Police District, Northern Police District, Southern Police District, Eastern Police District and Manila Police District —to double their alert status in their respective areas of jurisdiction in anticipation of possible crimes to happen this holiday season.
On Tuesday, two suspected members of the so-called Estribo Gang held up the driver, conductor and passengers of a northbound public utility bus owned and operated by Gloren Transport along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Makati City.
Supt. Jenny Tecson, spokesperson of the Southern Police District, said two men pretended to be passengers boarded in Pasay City the bus bound for Fairview with registration plate (UVL-915) around 12:15 am.
Upon reaching the EDSA-Ayala Avenue Flyover, the two men pulled out their pistols, announced the heist and divested the cash, mobile phones and other personal valuables of the victims.
“The victims further claimed that upon reaching the MRT (Metro Railway Transit-3) Buendia Station, the robbers alighted from the bus and hurriedly walked heading towards unknown direction bringing along with them the loot and the firearms used,” Tecson said.
Aside from Estribo Gang and other robbery-holdup groups, the National Capital Region Police Office also cautioned the people to be aware of the presence of members of Salisi Gang, Siksik Gang and Riles Gang in crowded areas this Yuletide season.
The police described Salisi Gang as gang members who lurk anywhere where there are people— malls, restaurants, fast food joints, bus terminals, airports, seaports, and computer shops—and are “just waiting for you to get distracted.” They either divert their victims’ attention or wait until their targets are distracted before they move in for the kill.
Just last month, Japanese national Makoto Hasegawa was reported to be the latest victim of the gang at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – Terminal 2. Hasegawa arrived on board Philippine Airlines flight PR 407 from Osaka, Japan.
Police said the victim’s hand-carry bag was stolen from his trolley at bay 13 of the terminal’s north-wing arrival area. The bag contained US dollars and Japanese Yen, which is equivalent to 170,000 in Philippine peso; three different credit cards, Cannon camera and his return plane ticket to Japan.
The Riles Gang, on the other hand, is a group of pickpockets posing as commuters of MRT-3, LRT (Light Rail Transit 1 and 2), and Philippine National Railways. These gang members squeezed-in, operate in groups of four or five, shove or push a prospective victim to distract his or her, while their accomplice picks gadgets and wallets inside the trains and terminals.
Members of Siksik Gang victimize bus passengers along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, particularly Roxas Boulevard in cities of Pasay and Parañaque, and Edsa in Makati City. The group would press against the bodies of the victims while taking their important valuables such as gadgets and mobile phones, or point a blade at them.
The NCRPO urged the ordinary citizens to help government preventing criminals do their thing. It also advised the public to report criminal incidents using their social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter.
