Three male passengers of a public utility jeepney bound for Tanjay announced a holdup Thursday night in barangay Tapon Norte, San Jose, Negros Oriental and divested an off-duty policeman of his service pistol and 30 other passengers of their belongings.
The policeman, who was not identified by San Jose Police Chief Sr. Insp. Ronilo Macasilhig, is a member of the Philippine National Police-Regional Public Safety Battalion based in Sibonga, Cebu and is currently detailed at a power grid sub-station in Tandayag, Amlan town, just a few kilometers from San Jose.
The three male passengers, who were not wearing masks, pulled out their guns and declared a hold-up as the jeepney passed a dark portion of the highway, Macasilhig said.
The suspects fired their guns twice in the air before fleeing on foot toward the hills, Macasilhig said.
The jeepney, apparently on its last trip, was “overloaded” with passengers. Its allowed maximum seating capacity is only for 20 passengers but during the hold-up, there were 28 passengers inside with some more on the roof top, Macasilhig said. Most of the victims were students and workers returning to their home towns from Dumaguete.
The police identified the driver of the PUJ as Tuburan, 56, single, of Calabnugan in Sibulan town, and the conductor as Leonides Aragones, 27, married, of Tandayag, Amlan. (PNA/JFP)