A man from the Philippines was arrested on Monday for robbing a local elderly man of a wallet containing cash in various currencies amounting to 23,000 patacas in total and several ATM and ID cards, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Cheong Kim Fong said during a special press conference yesterday.
Cheong identified the suspect as a 38-year-old male surnamed Malabanan, a non-resident worker (NRW) employed in the food processing industry who had resigned last week, and was planning to return to the Philippines yesterday.
According to Cheong, Malabanan had been observing and following the victim, a retiree, around a casino in Macau on Sunday. That night, after gambling, the victim took a bus back to his flat in Patane. When he entered the residential building and began ascending the stairs, Malabanan pushed him from behind, causing injuries to the left side of the victim’s forehead and left eye. Malabanan then stole his wallet, which contained Hong Kong dollars, yuan and patacas in cash, as well as several ATM and ID cards, amounting to 23,000 patacas in total. After the robbery, Malabanan ran away. The victim reported the case to the police the following day.
The police later identified Malabanan as the suspect and apprehended him on Monday evening near Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (新馬路). The police recovered the victim’s wallet, along with 700 yuan and HK$820 in cash from Malabanan. Under questioning, Malabanan refused to cooperate.
Malabanan was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing a robbery charge.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded suspect to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photo: Ada Lei
