‘Dura-Dura’ Gang members collared

Elements of the Manila Police District (MPD) have arrested five alleged members of the notorious “Dura-Dura Gang” following the robbery of a private nurse on a passenger bus Sunday night.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso presented the five suspects during a press briefing Monday morning at his office and were identified as Raffy Boy de Dios, Brandolph Datu, Kyle Robie Catchiller, Jomar Tarnate and Danilo Rosales.

The arrests stemmed from the complaint of the victim, “Tina,”a private nurse and resident of San Juan City.

An investigation by the MPD’s District Police Intelligence Operation Unit revealed the incident occurred around 9 p.m. Sunday at Old Panaderos in Santa Ana, Manila.

The victim was aboard a passenger bus traveling along Taft Avenue in Malate when one suspect intentionally bumped her as she was about to alight. Another suspect then tapped her right shoulder to distract her attention.

Reports also said that the suspects subsequently exited the bus and boarded two black motorcycles. The victim then noticed one of the suspects taking her mobile phone from her pocket.

Upon checking, she discovered her phone was missing. She immediately reported the incident to the Santa Ana police station, which conducted a follow-up operation leading to the group’s arrest. Police recovered the stolen mobile phone and the two motorcycles used in the alleged crime.

MPD director Gen. Arnold Abad explained the modus operandi of the gang.

“There’s only one system: distract the person so they can pickpocket them. Once your attention is diverted, that’s when they’ll pick your pocket. So they work as a team,” Abad said. “They might say, ‘Miss, you have spit here,’ so when you look, your attention is there, or they might really spit on you, and of course, you’ll dodge.”