Saturday, February 09, 2008 7 of 142 banks have no guards
OF the 142 banks operating in Cebu Province, seven of them do not employ security guards.
Although these banks are located across or beside police stations and have security alarms connected to these stations, Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria said he prefers that they hire at least two security guards.
In a meeting that Valmoria attended with other police officials and members of the Cebu Federation of Rural Banks last Tuesday, the plan to create a team that will conduct a security survey of all banks was proposed.
The meeting was presided by Senior Supt. Drusilo Bolodo, PRO 7 deputy director for operations.
Valmoria said some bank managers were hesitant to give details of their internal security measures, that is why they came up with a plan to have only one team from the police and a representative of the bank to conduct the survey.
They were also uncomfortable sharing their security measures with other banks.
Valmoria assured them that the results of the survey will be kept confidential.
He also said they will not allow just anyone to conduct the survey because those claiming to be authorized to do so could be the robbers themselves.
Rural bank managers admitted that they find it expensive to hire two guards, and that some of them employed guards during office hours only.
Valmoria said that, ideally, there should be two guards—one who will be assigned to screen incoming clients outside the bank and another one stationed inside the bank.
He noted that since most rural bank personnel are familiar with their clients, the guards should make sure that new clients are thoroughly checked.
Valmoria believes the bank clients would understand if they adopted such policies.
He pointed out that in the last bank robbery in Lapu-Lapu City, the robbers had pretended to be new clients by inquiring how to make a deposit.
Whether or not their recommendations would be followed is up to the management, Valmoria added. (MEA)
