Senior-citizen taxi driver involved in robbery hold-ups nabbed in Pasay A senior citizen taxi driver involved in a series of robbery hold-ups was arrested on Wednesday after victimizing a Malaysian national in Pasay City. Police Lieutenant Col. Deanry Francisco, Assistant Chief of Police for Administration of the Pasay City Police identified the suspect as  Jose Sajul, 61, a resident of Engineering St., GSIS Village Sangandaan, Quezon City. Sajul was positively identified by his recent victim, Tze Chea Kon, 22, a resident of Seaside Blvd., MOA Complex, Pasay City. According to the report submitted to the Southern Police District, Sajul was arrested in a follow-up operation at around 3:30 in the afternoon at EDSA Extension cor. Sunrise Drive, MOA Complex, Pasay City. Prior to his arrest, police said that the victim Kon was held at knifepoint inside Sajul's cab taking her cash worth P6,000. After the incident, she managed to report it to the MOA Police Community Precinct who immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation. Sajul was then arrested and that according to police, he was still boarding passengers. They recovered from him a kitchen knife which he uses in his activity. Francisco said that the suspect is involved in a series of robbery-hold up incidents since last year that mostly targets foreign nationals. This was the second time Kon fell victim to a hold-up inside a cab and that she did not report the first incident. Francisco added that the suspect may be a part of a larger group operating in the area. (Dhel Nazario) Five drug suspects arrested in separate buy-bust ops in Marikina Five drug suspects, including a minor, were arrested by police in separate buy-bust operations in Marikina City Tuesday evening. Police identified the suspects as Ethan Joshua Haboc, 24; Kenneth Magpayo, 27; John Jefferson DeGracia, 20; Caira Gadian, 20; and a minor, whose name was withheld by authorities. Marikina City Police said the sting operation stemmed from a report of a tipster regarding the illegal drug activities of the suspects. The first sting was conducted at around 7:30 p.m. along Shoe Avenue in Barangay Sta. Elena, followed by another around 9:30 p.m. inside a pension house in Barangay San Roque. The night capped off with another sting around 10:30 p.m. at the corner of Bulelak corner Mustasa Streets in Barangay Malanday. Police seized a total of 13 sachets of suspected shabu, P670 cash, and the P1,500 marked money. The minor was turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development while others were detained at Marikina City Police detention cells. (Jhon Aldrin Casinas) Ermita fire destroys at least P5 million worth of property At least P5 million worth of property was lost to a fire in Manila in the wee hours of Thursday. Initial report from the Manila Fire District said that about five houses along 1055 Trinidad Street in Ermita were burned, affecting 20 families after a fire sparked and reached up to a second alarm at 2:34 a.m. Nevertheless, no one died nor got injured from the flames. The blaze originated from the second floor of the two-story abode owned by Angelita Muñoz. The fire was verified at 2:31 a.m. and was totally extinguished at 3:40 a.m. Fire investigators are still determining the cause of the incident. (Ria Fernandez) Two drug peddlers caught by cops in separate buy-bust ops Two alleged drug peddlers, who previously surrendered to the anti-illegal drugs campaign of the police, were arrested in separate buy-bust operations in San Juan City Wednesday afternoon. P/Col. Ariel Fulo, San Juan City Police chief, identified the suspects as Paul Calindas, 48, of Barangay Little Baguio; and Eduardo Aranas, 47, of Barangay Balong, both in San Juan City. First to fall to the authorities was Calindas at around 2 p.m. along Baraoasin Street in Barangay Little Baguio shortly after handing over a sachet of illegal drugs to an undercover cop. Four additional sachets of suspected shabu were seized from his possession, police said. Hours later, another sting operation led to the arrest of Aranas at the corner of N. Domingo Avenue and F. Roman Street of Barangay Balong Bato around 4:30 p.m. Both men previously surrendered to the police’s “Oplan Tokhang,” but continued with their illegal drug activities, Fulo said. The police chief also revealed that Aranas was first arrested in 1999 for drug-related charges. He was again detained last year for charges of illegal gambling. Both men are now detained at San Juan City Police detention cells. (Jhon Aldrin Casinas) Train passenger arrested after yielding illegal drugs at an LRT-2 station Police arrested a train passenger after yielding a sachet of shabu and some drug paraphernalia during entrance inspection at a Light Rail Transit-2 (LRT-2) station in Quezon City on Wednesday night. Police Lt. Col. Giovanni Caliao, chief of Quezon City Police Station 7 (PS-7), identified the suspect as Amurie Morada, 32, a resident of Benitez Street in Barangay San Martin De Porres, Cubao. According to Eugene Abalon, duty security guard at the south entrance of LRT-2 Betty Go-Belmonte Station, he conducted a routine inspection to Morada around 7:50 p.m. While checking the suspect's black backpack, he noticed a plastic tube inside and when inspected, he found a small sachet of shabu and some drug paraphernalia. This prompted Abalon to report the incident to PS-7 authorities who immediately responded to the scene. Recovered from Morada was a small heat-sealed sachet of shabu, a strip of aluminum foil, a rolled aluminum foil with traces of white substance, a disposable lighter, and a plastic tube, which resulted in his arrest. Morada is now under police custody and was charged with violation of sections 11 and 12 of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (Alexandria San Juan) Boy, 5, drowns in Malabon resort A 5-year-old boy drowned in a resort at Barangay Dampalit, Malabon City on Tuesday evening.

The police identified the victim as Julien Gesmundo, Kinder II student of Star Bright Academy Manila, resident of Tondo, Manila.

Investigation showed that the boy, together with his family, went to the resort to celebrate the birthday of a certain Jedcel Salangsang.

But at about 7 p.m., a witness saw Gesmundo's body floating in the pool.

A certain Carlo Vicencio, who is one of the owner's of the resort, tried to save the boy using cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The victim was later rushed to San Lorenzo Ruiz Women's Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival at about 9:15 p.m.

Investigation is ongoing. (Minka Klaudia Tiangco)