Suspected robbers who victimized students in viral video arrested
Screengrab from the Facebook video of vlogger Jett Lau Rider
MANILA, Philippines — Three men seen escaping on a motorcycle in a now-viral video after allegedly robbing two students at knifepoint in Quezon City have been arrested, police said on Monday.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said suspects Patrick Alwin Santos, 23; Blasel Ben Vacaro, 22; and Johnric Baran, 24, surrendered to authorities a day after purportedly stealing from students who were walking near SM Fairview on Saturday night.
Police said one of the suspects armed with a bladed weapon alighted from the motorcycle and approached the victims. He declared the holdup and took the victims’ personal belongings.
“As the suspects fled using their getaway motorcycle, suspect Santos aimed the knife at [the] victim…At this instant, a vlogger happened to pass by and took a video of the scampering suspects,” QCPD said in a report.
Vlogger Jett Lau Rider chased the suspects and recorded everything using his action cam. He later posted the video on Facebook, which eventually went viral and helped authorities identify and pinpoint the suspects’ location.
Article continues after this advertisementPolice launched hot pursuit and follow-up operations after that. Finally, the suspects surrendered to authorities at the Caloocan City Police Station on Sunday afternoon.
Recovered from the suspects were a bladed weapon and their supposed “getaway motorcycle.”
QCPD said Santos, Vacaro, and Baran would face robbery charges and be referred to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
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