Remittance firm loses P8-M to robbers

Five heavily armed men robbed a vehicle of a remittance firm in Greenhills, San Juan the other day, taking P8 million in cash intended for the families of at least 1,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Superintendent Rodrigo de Gracia, San Juan police chief, said they believe the two-minute heist against the firm was an "inside job." The victimized remittance company is based in Mandaluyong.

Alexander Duran, 30, the company manager, said he and his driver Ricardo Ibe were on their way back to their office after withdrawing P8 million from the Equitable-PCI Bank branch at the Greenhills Shopping Center when their car was blocked by the suspects along Connecticut St. at about 1 p.m.

Duran said three men, armed with M-16 Armalite rifles, got out of a blue and silver Mitsubishi Adventure and rushed their car.

One of the suspects fired a warning shot in the air while another destroyed the rear window with the butt of his rifle. The suspects opened the car doors and dragged Duran out of the vehicle.

A third companion ordered the company driver not to look at their faces. The suspects then grabbed a gym bag from the rear of the car, boarded the van and sped off toward EDSA.

Police have invited for questioning Duran, Ibe and other employees of the remittance company. Employees said Duran has been manager for only three months but had been with the company for several years. Ibe, on the other hand has been with the firm for a year.

Management claimed it was the first time they were robbed in their 14 years in the remittance business. The stolen money was intended for the August remittances of at least 1,000 OFWs in America, Europe and Middle East to their families in the Philippines.

They assured clients they would receive their money in time.

"We are assuring our clients and their families nationwide that this robbery will not stop us from fulfilling our obligations to them," management said.

De Gracia dispatched veteran police investigators to the area to conduct interviews of witnesses to get a clear description of the suspects that would eventually lead to their positive identification.