Could cops have robbed Japanese of P150k in Manila?

MANILA, Philippines—A Japanese national was robbed of  P150,000 cash by still unidentified suspects who posed as policemen in Malate, Manila, police said Thursday.

In a text advisory to reporters, Chief Inspector Jenny Tecson, Southern Police District spokesperson, identified the victim as Iwasaki Kinchoi.

She said Kinchoi was held up by three unidentified male suspects who were on board a brown Toyota Revo with license plate XEX 636 somewhere in Malate, Manila, around 1 p.m., where he temporarily resides for a two-week vacation in the country.

In a separate interview, Senior Police Officer 1 Ching Esperanza quoted Kinchoi as saying that he was smoking somewhere in Malate when the suspects, who apparently passed themselves off as cops, called his attention, saying that he was smoking in a nonsmoking area.

One the three suspects was said to be wearing a shirt with the word “PNP” [Philippine National Police] printed on it, while the two others were in civilian clothes.

Esperanza said Kinchoi was then made to board the said vehicle where suspects took the victim’s P150,000 cash.

“He said he was driven around until he was made to get off on P. Binay Street, Makati,” Esperanza said.

The victim, however, could not determine the exact place in Malate where he was robbed because he was unfamiliar with the place, Esperanza added.