3-minute bank heist in Pasig

Call it an express cash withdrawal.

Five men staged a daring robbery at a rural bank in Pasig City yesterday, taking some P100,000 in a three-minute job.

The robbery at the First Macro Bank located at No. 32 Guillermo Street, Barangay Buting was the first bank robbery under the leadership of Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco, who assumed the post last July 29.

Police said three of the suspects entered the bank pretending to be early clients at about 9 a.m. Two others served as lookouts.

Senior Superintendent Ernesto Atungal, Pasig City police chief, said one of the suspects, disarmed security guard Igmedio Arbis, 34 of his service 12-gauge shotgun and announced the holdup.

The three suspects then scooped cash from the tellers’ drawers and booths. However, they failed to open the bank’s vault. One of the tellers, Rowena Medina, said the amount taken by the robbers was around P100,000.

The robbers also ordered 10 bank customers to lie face down the floor before divesting them of cash, jewelry and personal belongings.

Witnesses said the suspects fled toward Mandaluyong City on board a gray Honda and two Kawasaki motorcycles, both bearing no license plates.

Superintendent Tomasito Clet, chief of the Pasig City police criminal investigation division (CID) claimed witnesses identified two of the suspects from their rogue gallery.

The two suspects are members of "Ipit Taxi" robbery gang which operates in Quezon City and eastern Metro Manila.

Clet dispatched a team of crack operatives to go after the suspects, saying he expects results in a week’s time. – Non Alquitran