3 who robbed Korean of P10,000, valuables charged

MANILA, Philippines — If not for the alertness of a Korean national, the men who robbed her of over P10,000 in cash and other valuables would have gotten away with their crime.

Charges of theft were filed against three men at the Parañaque Prosecutors’ Office on Wednesday after they were arrested earlier this month when they robbed a Korean woman inside a taxi cab.

The Parañaque police identified the suspects as Nestor Esquillo, 39; Rizalito Cabral, 31; and Jerry Prada, 28, who were all arrested after police pursued the taxi cab where they robbed the victim, identified as Hyemin Kim, 22.

According to police reports, the victim flagged the taxi cab branded as Ram Star and with plate number TXR 564, which was being driven by Esquilla, in Malate Manila, on the evening of May 3.

Kim told Esquilla to take her to Resorts World Manila in Pasay, where she was temporarily staying. However, instead of taking her to the area, Esquilla picked up Cabral and Prada along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard.

The three men then forced Kim to give away all her cash worth P5,000 and her cell phone. They also ordered her to withdraw the money in her bank account after seeing her ATM card.

The three dropped Kim along Tomas Claudio St., in Barangay Baclaran, Parañaque, where she hastily took down the plate number of the taxi cab and reported the robbery to the police.

The Parañaque police pursued the cab, and the three were all arrested the same night.  They are now detained at the Parañaque City Jail.