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Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Bank robbed anew; police note ‘lapses’
By Jovy S. TaghoygSun.Star Staff Reporter
With Linette C. Ramos
Four men, two of them armed with pistols, pulled off a heist at East West Bank on Archbishop Reyes Ave., Cebu City yesterday.
It was the second time the bank was robbed this year. Last Jan. 31, five armed men allegedly led by now jailed robbery gang leader Rey Torres fled with about P500,000.
The bank management has yet to report the exact amount taken yesterday but assured their “depositors that appropriate steps are being undertaken to protect the bank’s assets and its clients against similar incidents.”
The bank, in a statement sent to Sun.Star Cebu, said, “There was no major loss reported during the robbery” and hopes the police will be able to solve the incident soon.
Initial information received by Supt. Pablo Labra II, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau, said the loot amounted to at least P50,000.
Labra, Theft and Robbery Section Chief Ambro-sio Ibones and City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, however, blamed the
bank’s security lapses that may have made it easy for the robbers to gain entry.
Only one security guard was present, the alarm system was not activated and there was no security camera.
With these lapses, the officials said the bank seemed to have not learned from the first robbery.
“It takes more than one (incident) for the bank to learn a lesson,” Jakosalem lamented.
Labra also said that about three weeks ago, he had issued an advisory and coordinated with the Cebu Bankers Association to advise all its members to beef up security measures following an intelligence report the police received about a robbery gang set make a hit in Cebu.
An industry insider supported Labra and told Sun.Star Cebu that about two to three weeks ago, he had emailed member-banks to be extra alert.
Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama reiterated yesterday his call for banks, moneychangers and cell phone shops to strengthen their security systems in case the East West bank robbers strike again.
Rama said it is unfortunate for the same bank to be hit twice, which is why they will look into the security system of East West.
“There are questions on the bank’s security lapses that have to be answered but, of course, we can’t blame everything on the bank because there is also the matter of police efficiency on preventing these robberies,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Rama, chairman of the City Police Coordinating and Advisory Council, said they have been consistent in reminding banks of their responsibility to prevent heists, especially those whose security measures are lax.
About 2 p.m. yesterday, one of the robbers entered the bank and kicked security guard Victor Opsinal Longakit, 34, of Maya Security Agency and took his shotgun.
Two other robbers followed but had to destroy the glass door before entering the bank. The glass door was equipped with automatic lock.
One side of the glass was shattered, giving the two other robbers access to the bank.
The three robbers did not wear masks.
Only the motorcycle driver, who waited outside, wore a helmet.
While one of the robbers disarmed Longakit, the two other robbers jumped over the counter and grabbed all the cash from two tellers.
Ibones and Labra said the robbers did not bring a bag where the loot would be placed. They put the money in their shirts, which were tucked-in.
Only one client was around when the robbery took place.
After taking the money, the three robbers dashed outside and boarded a waiting motorcycle.
Police, however, are still determining how many getaway vehicles were used, because some witnesses said there were two, while others said there was only one.
Ibones and Labra said it took the robbers about three minutes before fleeing because the motorcycle conked out.
Ibones, Labra and Jakosalem also pointed out the failure of the bank personnel to directly contact the police hotline for assistance.
“The call had to be made to somebody who called up the police about the robbery,” Jakosalem said.
Labra also expressed his disappointment over the “uncooperative” personnel.
“If they were uncooperative before, more so now. It’s as if they’re playing games with us. I am very disappointed,” Labra said.
The statement of the bank, however, said “East West Bank officials are closely working with the police handling the case to ensure its early resolution and the immediate capture of the perpetrators.”
The statement added, “It was fortunate the criminal act caused no casualties among employees or clients.”
Labra said they are looking into a specific group of robbers who may be behind the heist.
He could not confirm yet whether the robbery was a handiwork of the Roldan Villanueva-Teodoro Emperial group, the reported remnant of the robbery group previously headed by Torres.
Operatives from the Crime Suppression Unit, TRS, Mobile Patrol Group and Labra rushed to Rosal St. in Barangay Camputhaw after receiving reports that the robbers were in the area. The hot pursuit, however, has so far yielded no result.
Labra noted that yesterday’s robbery was similar to the Jan. 31 heist - both incidents were carried out on a Monday and one of the robbers kicked the security guard before disarming him while his cohorts jumped over the counters and took the money.
The Jan. 31 robbers also used motorcycles as getaway.
TRS chief Ibones said a civilian witness identified one of the robbers through the rogues’ gallery.
The person is not a suspected robber but engaged in other illegal activities.
“But we will look closely into this,” Ibones said.
(September 27, 2005 issue)
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