MPD foils hijack try on P1.2-million rice shipment

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Police District (MPD) foiled an attempt by two armed men to hijack two container vans of rice worth P1.2 million in Tondo, Manila before dawn yesterday.

The shipment of 1,000 sacks of rice, loaded in two 20-footer container vans, was to be delivered to the North Harbor for transshipment to Bacolod, according to MPD intelligence chief Superintendent Ernesto Fojas Jr.

Fojas identified the arrested suspects as Gerry Reyes, 52, of Malabon City; and Claro Bacinillo, 45, of Vitas, Tondo. Recovered from them were a .357 caliber revolver with four bullets and a fan knife.

Fojas said at around 2:30 a.m., police officers, led by Senior Inspector Randy Maluyo, were patrolling Road 10 in Tondo following reports of hijackings in the area when they noticed a commotion at a dark portion of the road.

Mauro Gasta, driver of Quicktrans Cargo Moving, Inc., told police he was urinating beside his truck when the suspects approached him from behind and poked their gun and knife and demanded the keys to the vehicle.

It was at this juncture that Manila policemen rushed to the area and caught the suspects.

Gasta told police his cargo came from a warehouse in Tondo and he was on his way to the North Harbor where the shipment will be loaded onto a ship bound for Bacolod.

Fojas said the suspects admitted to being involved in several previous hijackings.