Cops arrested two suspected robbers, including a minor, for allegedly robbing a teenager in Pasig City, Tuesday night.
The suspects were identified as Peewee Barameda and 16-year old ‘Johnny’.
Their victim, Rene Genentiza, was walking in the public market, when Barameda and Johnny allegedly cornered him and grabbed his Iphone and his P5,000 cash.
"While I was walking home the two (suspects) cornered me," Genentiza said.
Genentiza said that "Johnny" pretended that they were having a fistfight.
The victim told police investigators that the suspects even threw a stone at his face before they escaped.
Police immediately arrested the two suspected robbers when Genentiza was able to positively identify them.
Barameda and Johnny both denied during interrogation by police that they took anything from the victim.
"How can he say that he was hold-upped, when it was still daylight and there were many people around," said one of the suspects.
"Johnny" added that it was just a fake fight and the suspects were just intimidating Genentiza. He also said that Genentiza started the alleged fight
Police, however, said that the incident was the suspects' modus operandi.
They said that the robbers pretend that they are having a fight with the victim before they snatch the victim’s belongings.
Police detained Barameda for robbery holdup. While checking the suspect’s identity, they also learned that Barameda is a Sputnik Gang member and was previously involved in a robbery spree.
"Johnny", however, will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.