Three men involved in a series of holdups in Pasig and other places were jailed. The weapons used by the suspects were discovered to be toy guns.
As reported by Emil Sumangil on GMA News “24 Oras” on Tuesday, CCTV showed the three men using toy guns holdup a convenience store in the said city, where they cleared the money from the box.
A few days later, Pasig Police and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) tracked down the group’s safe house in Taytay, Rizal.
The suspects were identified as Manuel Balverde and Neil Hernandez, while their accomplice Christian Salcedo was first arrested.
The suspects were wanted in the carnapping case and the robbery holdup in Pasig.
The group allegedly targets victims who come to work as call center agents, according to Police Colonel Moises Villaceran, Chief of Police of Pasig City.
In addition, the suspects also victimized students.
3 men who used toy guns in holdup arrested
“Noong nag-aagawan na po kami sa cellphone ko, sinakal po ako ng lalaki na nasa likod ko po. ‘Yung nasa unahan ko hinila niya po ‘yung bag ko. Nagkapasa po ako. Sobrang takot na takot po ako, hindi po ako nakatulog noong araw po na iyon,” said victim “Maya.”
(When we were fighting over my cellphone, the man behind me strangled me. The one in front of me pulled my bag. I had bruises. I was so scared, I couldn’t sleep that day.)
The suspects did not give a statement.
“Mostly look-alike ng berretta na .9mm. And based sa victim ito ‘yung baril na ginamit sa kaniya nang pinalo siya tsaka nakita niya na parang tinutukan siya,” said Villaceran.
(Mostly look-alike berretta that is .9mm. And based on the victim, this is the gun that was used on her when she was beaten, and she saw that it seemed to be aimed at her.)
According to the implementing rules and regulations of RA No.10591, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act,” toy guns are imitation firearm. It refers to a replica of a firearm, or other device that is so substantially similar in coloration and overall appearance to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to believe that such imitation firearm is a real firearm