Mayor Moreno reiterates P1 million reward for anyone who would give info on bank robbers
(Eagle News) – Manila City mayor Isko Moreno on Friday, July 12, called on the perpetrators of a daring daylight bank robbery in Manila to surrender as he would make sure that they would be hunted down by the authorities.
“Sumuko na kayo, kung mahal ninyo ang inyong sarili, sumuko na kayo (Surrender if your value your lives),” Moreno announced in a press conference on Friday, July 12.
Earlier, the Manila mayor had placed a P1 million reward for anyone who would provide information that would lead to the arrest of the bank robbers.
“I am now offering P1 million for the arrest of these seven at least suspects na kinuha ang CCTV ng bangko,” he said.
He said he would make sure that those behind the bank robbery would be put behind bars.
“You cannot escape the long arm of the law,” he added.
-Moreno notes suspicious circumstances of bank robbery-
On Friday, Moreno said it appeared that the bank robbers were “very relaxed” when they entered and robbed the Metro Bank branch in Sto. Cristo in Binondo, Manila, at around 8:40 a.m. on Thursday, July 11.
He said he suspected that this had been planned beforehand and that there was somebody backing this operation.
“I would assume pinagplanuhan ito. Tingin ko merong may hawak dito. (I would assume this was planned. I think there was someone handling this),” Moreno told reporters.
There were at least seven people who robbed the bank. However, none of the bank employees were hurt. There was still no information as to the amount of money the robbers were able to get.
-Chill na chill lang sila,” says mayor of bank robbers’ movements-
“Chill na chill lang sila as if they know what they’re doing” Moreno said describing the actions of the robbers who were able to enter the bank without any trouble even though it was not yet the start of banking hours, based on the CCTV footage outside the bank premises.
The robbers were also able to get the CCTV inside the bank.
The crime was reported at 9:18 a.m., he said, and then the police immediately responded at 9:20 a.m.
But it was suspicious how the head of the bank security refused to cooperate with the police, Moreno noted.
-Refusal to cooperate-
The bank management and security also refused to let the police officers from going inside the bank saying that they were following protocol from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
“They don’t want to help initially. If the police investigators will find that they obstructed (justice), they are going to be held liable,” Moreno said. “Ayaw ko lang pangunahan.”
Even the evidence inside the bank had been possibly tampered with as police was not able to secure the area because they were prevented by the bank security from doing so, the mayor noted.
If the bank officers had only cooperated immediately with the police and provided information, the police could have immediately put a dragnet in place, Moreno said.
This could have helped in the immediate arrest of the suspects, he said.
