Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares affirmed the city's commitment to ensuring the welfare of its citizens, including the families of those who have committed crimes and are in jail, noting that every human being deserves compassion and understanding.

Ynares made the statement on Thursday, Feb. 19, during his meeting with two robbers arrested for robbing and injuring a taxi driver last Feb. 10.

According to the mayor, the suspects, identified as "Mark Nel" and "Jade," robbed a 35-year-old taxi driver identified as Ritchie Mondoyo inside his taxi cab.

"Tinutukan siya ng kitchen knife at sapilitang kinuha ang kanyang Realme cellphone na nagkakahalagang P9,000. Pumalag si Kuya Ritchie kaya nasugatan ang kanyang kanang braso. Mabuti na lang at kaagad siyang nadala sa ospital natin sa Cabading (The suspects threatened him with a kitchen knife, and his Realme cellphone worth P9,000 was forcibly taken. Ritchie fought back the robbers, causing him to be stabbed in his right arm. He was immediately taken to our hospital in Cabading for treatment)," he explained.

The suspects were subsequently arrested by the police where they recovered Ritchie's cellphone and two kitchen knives. One of their cohorts, identified as "Luba," remains at large.

During the inquest proceedings, the police found out that Jade had just been released from prison after being jailed in December 2024 due to illegal drugs and alarm and scandal. Mark Nel was also an ex-convict previously arrested for violation of PD 1602.

Ynares said the city government had already distributed livelihood aid and other assistance to Ritchie and his family, as he has not yet recovered from his injury.

The local government had also provided aid to Jade and Mark Nel's families, saying that they should not bear the burden of the crimes committed by their relatives.

"Pamilya man sila ng mga nasasangkot, hindi ibig sabihin na dapat nilang pasanin ang bigat ng kasalanan ng kanilang kamag-anak. Kaya pinapuntahan natin sila sa social worker natin kasama ang scholarship office at livelihood office para tingnan ang mga iba't-ibang bagay na pwedeng intervention at maitulong ng pamahalaan (Even if they are family members of those involved, it does not mean that they should bear the burden of their relative's sins. That is why we have sent our social worker along with the scholarship office and livelihood office to them to look into various things that the government can help them with)," Ynares said.

"Nakakaawa man dahil kapwa pamilyado pero kailangang harapin nina Jade at Mark Nel ang kanilang pananagutan sa batas. Bilin natin sa kanila na sa oras na malampasan nila ang mga kasong kinakaharap nila ngayon ay puntahan nila tayo kung gusto nilang mag bagong buhay at tutulungan natin silang mamuhay ng marangal (It's a pity because both of them have their own families, but Jade and Mark Nel have to face their legal responsibilities. We have advised them that once they overcome the cases they are facing now, they should come to us if they want to turn over a new leaf, and we will help them have a life with dignity)," he added.