The MPD identified the suspect as “Bikti,” 25, who was also allegedly involved in crimes targeting several foreign nationals in Manila. His group was also reportedly involved in gun-for-hire operations and convenience store robberies in NCR.

At the time the warrant was served, the suspect was already in detention at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Angeles District Jail, Male Dormitory, Camp Tomas Pepito, Sto. Domingo, Angeles City, Pampanga, for a robbery with homicide case involving a Korean national.

MPD director Brig. Gen. Arnold Abad said the suspect was tracked through an “Oplan Pagtugis” conducted over several days by MPD Station 7 under the supervision of station commander Lt. Col. Norman Patnaan. The operation was carried out by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11 on November 20, 2025, for the crimes of frustrated murder and murder.

Investigators said the suspect is the alleged leader of a notorious riding-in-tandem robbery-holdup group operating in Manila, Quezon City, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and other parts of NCR, extending as far as Pampanga and Bulacan in Region 3.

Manila police also identified him, through the testimony of witnesses, as the suspect in a robbery-shooting incident that killed a Japanese national, while another foreign companion survived.

In a separate incident in January 2025, another foreign tourist was victimized by the suspect and his group along M.H. Del Pilar Street in Malate, Manila. They also reportedly robbed a woman in Ermita shortly after.

They were immediately arrested during a follow-up operation led by Maj. Edwin Fuggan. However, they were released months later, which police said was possibly due to the group’s financial resources, likely funded by their daily criminal activities.

Meanwhile, MPD said they also identified several members of the group who are already detained in NCR and Region 3, except for a man, identified as “Adam,” who remains at large.