LBC robberies, cops eye action vs victims

CEBU, Philippines - Police are now looking into the possibility of filing a case for obstruction of justice against the management of the LBC outlets in Bogo City and Moalboal town for its alleged failure to fully cooperate in the investigation into the robberies that hit said outlets.

Supterintendent Rodolfo Albotra, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch, said that deleting files of CCTV footage and refusing to hand in files for criminal investigations are two things that have baffled the police.

“Karon na lang ni nga di sila mohatag ug kopya, unya unsa may rason nga dili sila mohatag ug kopya nga its for public interest because we are investigating a crime,” Albotra said.

The LBC branch in Moalboal reportedly dele-ted the copy of the CCTV footage and instead handed over to the police blurred screen shots of the robbers, which are difficult to compare with photos in the police’s rogues gallery.

“Unsay purpose nila of giving us a copy if cannot be used in the investigation? They should help us ilabi na sila ang involved sa kaso…we are not after only of the face but the physical environment… tanan,” Albotra said.

The files they received from LBC-Moalbal also cannot be opened but the management reportedly assured it will ask for another copy from its main office.

“Maoy ilang ingon, but we will try to enhance and see what we can do whatever copy we can get from them,” said the PIB chief.

The branch in Bogo City, too, failed to give the police a copy of the CCTV footage.

Albotra said the uncooperative behavior on the part of victims would be an opportunity for criminal elements to continue their acts.

The LBC outlet in Barangay Libertad, Bogo City lost P70,000 and another outlet in Barangay Poblacion East, Moalboal also lost P31,000 to robbers in broad daylight last month.

Both were robbed by unidentified armed men who did not bother concealing their faces. The heists were carried out in just two minutes.

In the Bogo incident, police said it is most likely that the robbers were not from the city as they did not fear of being identified.

Police said earlier that remittance centers are vulnerable to robbery and that managers should provide enough security and not just rely on CCTV cameras.

Aside from the LBC branches in Bogo and Moalboal, robbers also took a hit on an outlet in Mandaue City and in Barangay Taboan, Cebu City in broad daylight. Ironically, the outlet in Barangay Taboan is located just a kilometer away from the San Nicolas Police Station.

Despite the successive robberies, Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Superintendent  Noel Gillamac clarified the incidents are not causes for alarm, especially that the outlets were targeted because they did not have security guards on post. — (FREEMAN)