WAS it inside job?

This is one of the angles being looked into by the police investigators regarding the reported hold-up incident involving a liaison officer of Negros Occidental Teachers Federation (NOTF) and his two other companions in Bacolod City on broad light Thursday, May 19, 2022.

Major Ramel Sarona, commander of Police Station 1 in the city, said the liaison officer, who was on his early 60s, and his two other companions, who were on their early 40’s, sought the assistance of the police who were conducting visibility patrol along Hernaez-Lacson Street at about 11 a.m.

The victims, whose names are being withheld for security purpose, claimed that an unidentified man, who was on board a motorcycle and armed with a gun, allegedly held them up at the parking lot of Negros First Cyber Centre and took P600,000 in cash.

However, based on the footages of a surveillance camera from a nearby store, it showed that there was no struggle between the victims and the suspect, Sarona said.

In fact, it was seen that one of the victims handed the bag containing the money to the suspect and rode their car as if nothing happened, he also said.

The police official said they are really in doubt if there was indeed robbery as there were a lot of passers-by at the time of the supposed incident, adding that the victims did not even bother to seek help from the security guards.

The complainants told the police that the suspect, who was wearing helmet and black jacket, was allegedly armed with unidentified firearm.

“Maybe, it’s an inside job and they knew the suspect because there was no commotion during the incident and they failed to ask assistance from the security assigned within the area,” Sarona stressed.