|
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Robbers attack 2 Cebu lending firms
By Jovy S. Taghoy
CEBU CITY -- Robbers struck anew, fleeing with P177,000 cash from two financing firms in Cebu City in a span of 30 minutes before noon Saturday.
The robberies on Alano and Sons Finance Corp. along Escario St., Barangay Camputhaw and its sister-company G.A. Countryside Lending Investor in D.Y. Bldg. in Barangay Tejero happened barely a month after twin heists were also pulled in the city.
The perpetrators entered Alano and Sons at 11:15 a.m., while at G.A. Countryside the heist was declared at 11:40 a.m.
No one was hurt in both incidents, which again highlighted the need for business owners to pay more attention to security.
Alano and Sons is owned by Bienvenida Alano while her son, Gino, is the proprietor of G.A. Countryside.
The robbers of both financing firms rode blue motorcycles as getaway vehicles and carried handguns, one of which was a .45 caliber pistol with a silencer.
Police believe the same group carried out the two heists.
Investigators from the Fuente Osmeña Police Station who went to Alano and Sons and the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS), which responded to the G.A. Countryside robbery, are comparing notes to help them find leads on who could be behind the robberies.
Like the previous heists, both financing firms do not have security cameras or security guards.
Police also lamented the failure of the employees of Alano and Sons to immediately ask for the assistance of two rookie policemen who were posted only a few meters away from the financing firm.
The firm is also within walking distance from the Camputhaw barangay hall.
Senior Police Officer 2 Samson Go of the Fuente Osmeña Police Station said one of the robbers entered Alano and Sons alone and pretended to inquire how he could apply for a loan.
About three to five minutes later, another man arrived. He turned out to be the second robber. He brought with him a black bag and a .45 caliber pistol with a silencer.
The two then declared the holdup and asked the cashiers to put all the money, estimated to be about P100,000, in the bag.
They barged out the door and boarded a blue motorcycle.
As soon as the police hotline 166 received the call for assistance, Oplan Universe was raised, requiring all police stations to set up blockades on possible exits of the robbers.
While the police were kept busy, the robbery on G.A. Countryside was carried out.
One of the robbers went inside pretending to apply for a loan, while his companion said he wanted to pay his loan.
One was described carrying a black knapsack.
The robbers pointed their firearms at cashiers Olive Natulla and Rachel Vallega and told them, "Ipagawas ang kwarta (Take out the money)."
The robbers grabbed P77,000 and two checks amounting to P46,000.
Police said each heist was executed in about five minutes.
Inspector Christopher Ruiz, acting TRS chief, told Sun.Star Saturday that both robberies were well-planned.
Ruiz hopes that the establishments in the city, especially those into the money-lending business, should hire security guards or install security equipment.
One of the suspects in the Oct. 5 robberies on A1 Micro Finance Inc. on Osmeña Blvd. and Asialink Finance Corp. on Gen. Maxilom Ave. was arrested two days later.
He was identified as Dindo Ancero, who is also a suspect in the P9.4-million robbery of the Land Bank of the Philippines-Bogo branch in August last year. (Sun.Star Cebu)
(October 29, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Gonzales: Motion for recon may change SC decision