MANILA, Philippines—Two armed men on board a sports utility vehicle allegedly handcuffed, then robbed a 60-year-old Croatian tourist of US$800 in Malate, Manila, on Wednesday night, police said.
Anto Kritic, temporarily staying at a hotel along Roxas Blvd. in Malate, alleged that the robbers forced him into their vehicle, took his cash equivalent to P35,000, then released him.
Superintendent Dominador Arevalo, Manila Police District (MPD) Malate Station 9 commander, said that based on the statement of Antic, he suspects the assailants were policemen.
Arevalo, however, pointed out that the suspicion still had to be verified because the victim apparently based his own conclusion on the handcuffs that the robbers used.
He said Kritic was walking along M. Adriatico street at around 8 p.m. Wednesday when the two men approached him and cuffed him. They then forced the Croatian tourist into an SUV where they allegedly ordered him at gunpoint to fork over his cash.
As soon as Kritic gave them the money, the robbers told him to get off the vehicle and fled. Kritic immediately proceeded to the MPD station 9 to report the incident to the police.
Arevalo told the Inquirer that Kritic was not able to get the vehicle’s license plate or identify the type of SUV the assailants used.
Operatives of the MPD station 9 are conducting follow-up operations for the identification and arrest of the robbers.