Cop loses P.3 M to 4 robbers

A Manila policeman lost P310,000  he had just withdrawn from a bank to four armed men, who also shot his driver in face, at past noon yesterday.

Chief Inspector Isagani Ilas’ driver, Sabido Chavez, is said to be in stable condition at the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital after a bullet passed through his cheeks and embedded itself in his right shoulder.

Ilas is the chief investigator at the Manila Police District (MPD) Sta. Cruz station and is engaged in buying and selling cars.  According to initial reports, Ilas had just withdrawn money from the Metrobank Fogoso branch and was on his way to a car repair shop. He was in a Toyota Corolla Altis (ZEM-117) being driven by Chavez. They were cruising near the intersection of Tayuman street and Oroqueta street in Sta. Cruz when the suspects, riding in tandem on two motorcycles, flanked the vehicle.

One of the suspects shot Chavez with a .45 caliber pistol, while another suspect approached the right side of the vehicle and pointed a handgun at Ilas.

“Ilas tried to shoot back but his 9mm pistol jammed, so he just threw his firearm to the car floor. He did not want to alert the suspects that he was a police officer. He was wearing civilian clothes at that time,” Sta. Cruz station commander Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said. Ilas decided to give the suspects his P310,000 and four checkbooks – three from Banco de Oro and one from Metrobank. He was supposed to use the money to purchase a vehicle for his business.