Japanese tourist robbed of P80k in Manila

MANILA, Philippines—A Japanese tourist was robbed of P80,000 in cash late Monday afternoon after two armed men forced him into a van outside a Manila mall and took him for a ride before abandoning him in Pasay City.

Sereiji Hiroshi, 66, temporarily billeted at a hotel along Maria Orosa Street in Ermita, Manila, lodged on Tuesday a complaint before the Manila Police District General Assignment Section (MPD-GAS) about the brief kidnapping and robbery.

Police Officer 3 Donald Panaligan, case investigator, said that the robbery and kidnapping happened around 4:30 p.m. at the corner of Maria Orosa and Pedro Gil streets, near the Robinson’s mall.

Based on the complaint filed with the police, the Japanese tourist was walking along the street corner when two men accosted and pointed their handguns at him.

The armed men allegedly forced the elderly tourist into a gray van and drove off with him. During the trip, the men allegedly divested him of his cash.

Hiroshi said the men dropped him off somewhere in the vicinity of the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The victim was able to flag down a taxi and asked to be ferried back to his hotel.

Panaligan said the tourist was not able to take note of the van’s license plate and simply asked a friend to accompany him on Tuesday to the police to file a report.