By Marie Manalili

One of two Japanese men were shot as two men robbed them of their belongings in Ermita early Monday, police said Wednesday.

In an interview with The Daily Manila Shimbun, an officer at the Manila Police District said that the robbery took place around 2:39 am along Mabini Street Ermita only a few meters away from their hotel.

The two Japanese men, aged 69 and 55, were robbed of cash worth P45,000 and 90, 000 yen (P33,359), two cellular phones, and other belongings, police said. They filed a complaint with police.

This is the latest robbery involving Japanese since Dec 20 in Makati and the tenth case since October.

The 69-year-old Japanese was shot and rushed to a nearby hospital but was discharged on Tuesday 1 pm as he wanted to fly to Japan for further treatment.

The Japanese declined a surgical procedure, police said, and signed a waiver. The two were expected to leave the country Wednesday or Thursday.

In a report, the two suspects were aged 20 to 30 years old who boarded a scooter with no license plate.

Police said investigation is ongoing. Marie Nicole Manalili/DMS