Money remittance firm robbed of P800T

Four unidentified men robbed a Western Union Money Transfer branch at Raintree Mall yesterday afternoon and escaped with an estimated P800,000 in cash.

Only three men actually struck the remittance-forwarding firm while a fourth man stayed outside with their getaway motorcycle. The robbery was done in under three minutes, said Theft and Robbery Section chief Ambrosio Ibones.

Around 2 p.m. the first robber, armed with a .45 cal. pistol, entered the establishment, aimed his gun at security guard, Milbert Ambos, and took his .38 cal. revolver. Then two other armed men quickly followed, went straight to the cashier's drawer and took out all the money, including the dollar bills.

While stashing the money into the loot bag, one of the robbers accidentally fired his gun but hit no one, none of the guards in adjoining establishments even noticed a robbery was taking place in the area. The robbers were last seen escaping on a red motorcycle down Ramos Street.

Acting city police director Melvin Gayotin said some witnesses and even employees of Western Union offered vague descriptions and could only say the robbers were all in their twenties.

They were also shown photos of police personalities as well as members of the Torres-Limotan group, including Jemuel Cardoza alias Roldan Villanueva, Junard Saladaga, Nando Abapo, Vlademir Gamanay, and a new member Doroteo Imperial. But none of these men fitted the descriptions of the robbers, said Gayotin.

It was the second robbery in the area, the first was last December 3, when Ace Investment lost P200,000 in cash to the robbers. The group of Limotan and Abapo was identified in that robbery and both were charged in court.

Ibones observed similarities in the Western Union robbers with those that struck the Cebu People's Development Cooperative, Junquera Street, last October 6 and fled with P80,000.

Last week, Gayotin created Task Force Villanueva Imperial, headed by Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Branch chief Paul Labra and composed of the same operatives who arrested Torres and Limotan in Mindanao months ago.

Labra said the police should now focus on these "remnants" who are more aggressive than their predecessors.

Cardoza and Imperial's alleged involvement in a series of robberies including the one in Mabolo against a moneychanger and lately the East-West Bank heist near an uptown mall. Charges were already filed against Cardoza, Saladaga, Gamanay, and Abapo for the bank robbery.

Imperial was not an original member of the Torres-Limotan group because he has his own group, which the police even eyed as the one that robbed a moneychanger along V. Rama Avenue, few months ago, and escaped with P800,000.

When Imperial was arrested in Talisay City, at least 50 Turkish moneylenders identified him as the man who had robbed them in the past. - Ryan P. Borinaga