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How an off-duty police officer stopped a bus robbery

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Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Miyembro si PO2 Joselito Lantano ng Police Security &amp; Protection Group sa Camp Crame.<br/>(📸:Din Marvin Diano) <a href="https://t.co/P1yimmeDC1">pic.twitter.com/P1yimmeDC1</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/849028007251464192">April 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Cardo Dalisay of ABS-CBN hit series &quot;Ang Probinsyano&quot; would have been proud.</p><p>The call of duty went beyond work hours for PO2 Joselito Lantano, who ended a bus robbery by shooting the armed suspect before he could fire at him.</p><p>Lantano and around 20 others were riding a Diamond Star bus traversing EDSA en route to Malanday early Tuesday when a fellow passenger declared a robbery.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Video_Widget_1_Container"><ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Video_Widget_1" allow="autoplay" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-wid="f5fb7bd1-3880"></ivs-player><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div></figure><p>Passengers interviewed by ABS-CBN News said they heard a gunshot from the back of the bus just before the vehicle reached EDSA Kamuning.</p><p>The man who fired the gun declared a hold-up and shouted for the bus driver to keep the bus moving as he walked to the front.</p><p>Sitting in front was Lantano, the off-duty cop, who woke up after hearing the gunshot and readied his own firearm.</p><p>&quot;I knew the sound of a gunshot and I sensed a hold-up was happening,&quot; he said.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Pauwi na ng Bulacan sakay ng bus si PO2 Joselito Lantano na nagpaputok sa lalaking nangholdup nang palapit sya sa unahan ng bus <a href="https://t.co/R8ettEHtRt">pic.twitter.com/R8ettEHtRt</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/849018876834623488">April 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><div><strong>FIRST STRIKE</strong></div><p>Lantano said he decided to shoot first before letting the assailant know he was a police officer.</p><p>&quot;I looked to the back and saw him readying to fire at me, so I shot back, almost at the same time,&quot; he said in Filipino.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">PO2 Lantano: Nakita ko paputok na sa akin ang baril. Lumingon ako sa kanya, naputukan ko na rin. Halos magkasabay lang. <a href="https://t.co/XfeTBcwBsi">pic.twitter.com/XfeTBcwBsi</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/849024784385982465">April 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Three shots later and the gunman was dead.</p><p>Still, Lantano had to check if the bus robber had accomplices on board.</p><p>&quot;Walang tatayo sa likod kundi puputukan ko kayo!&quot; he shouted.</p><p>&quot;I asked the passengers to raise their hands and place them on top of the headrests. It was the only way to identify the robber&#x27;s companions,&quot; he said.</p><p>He told a student who was also on the bus to take video of the aftermath.</p><p>The bus was soon stopped by a police mobile parked under the flyover near the intersection of EDSA and Quezon Avenue.</p><p>Each bus passenger was let off one by one and frisked by authorities.</p><p>Some of the bus passengers ratted out two men who turned out to have been carrying a bladed weapon and a caliber .38 gun. The two, who were identified as James Medrano and Mark Lee Mahinay, denied they were involved in the hold-up.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Arestado ang 2 sakay ng bus na sina Mark Lee Mahinay at James Medrano matapos ituro ng mga pasahero na kasabwat ng nang-holdup <a href="https://t.co/AmgIV2T7W7">pic.twitter.com/AmgIV2T7W7</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/849018298863833088">April 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><div><strong>PROMOTION IN ORDER?</strong></div><p>Lantano&#x27;s presence of mind and swift action impressed Quezon City Police District director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, who also arrived at the crime scene.</p><p>He said he is planning to file a recommendation for Lantano&#x27;s promotion.</p><p>&quot;This shows how alert our police are and should be. Even if he was off-duty and going home, he was ready to face danger,&quot; Eleazar said.</p><p>Lantano, a policeman for 20 years, has worked under the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) based in Crame since 2009.</p><p>Before that, he trained and was assigned with the PNP Special Action Force.</p><p>Lantano was recognized by the PSPG in 2013 for arresting suspects of an &quot;akyat bahay&quot; robbery group he caught in the act and chased in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.</p><p>For Lantano, his only thoughts were on making sure he survived the encounter for the sake of his 2 children living with him in Bulacan. Both are still in high school.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m just glad that I did my job,&quot; he said.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Bus na biyaheng Malanday, hinoldup sa EDSA pasado 2am. Patay ang isa sa mga holdupper nang binaril ng pasaherong pulis. <a href="https://t.co/0nrRs4zfV8">pic.twitter.com/0nrRs4zfV8</a></p>— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) <a href="https://twitter.com/anjo_bagaoisan/status/848973209537925122">April 3, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>

<p>An off-duty police officer ended a potential bus robbery after shooting the robber</p>

An off-duty police officer ended a potential bus robbery after shooting the robber

How an off-duty police officer stopped a bus robbery

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How an off-duty police officer stopped a bus robbery

Anjo Bagaoisan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 04, 2017 12:22 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 04, 2017 12:37 PM PHT

Read More:

ang probinsyano

crime

Joselito Lantano

krimen

bus robbery

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