Too many banks, not enough cops

With only 228 policemen to secure 120 banks, the Parañaque City police yesterday said it would be asking the Southern Police District (SPD) for additional police personnel as a preventive measure against bank robberies.

Senior Superintendent Ronald Estilles, Parañaque City police chief, said he intends to beef up the number of police officers in the area to deter robbery gangs from striking anew. Just the other day, three motorcycle-riding men carted away with P300,000 from a Union Bank branch along the West Service Road in Sucat, Parañaque City.

Estilles said he has instructed his men to check the address of two identified suspects, brothers Gerry and Reynaldo Antonio, in Pasig City.

"Although there is only a slim possibility that the Antonio brothers would return to their home, it is part of procedure that we cover this aspect. But I am optimistic that they will soon be captured because their identities and names have already been made public while the cartographic sketch of their accomplice has been distributed to other police agencies," the police chief said.

He added they have also coordinated with other law enforcement agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and intelligence units for information that could lead to their immediate arrest.

The brothers are part of the group responsible for the robbery of another Union Bank branch along E. Rodriguez Ave. in Quezon City last July 17. They were captured but were able to post bail.

"Recently, the Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) of the NCRPO has provided us with 38 men. But the current number of policemen here is still not enough to secure all the banks and other strategic establishments such as malls and Baclaran," Estilles said.

He is now considering the possibility of asking the SPD to send to the Parañaque City police station some 30 of its policemen. "I would ask for another augmentation. At present, we have about 288 policemen in our plantilla," Estilles said.

The police chief said he has been thinking about the augmentation after the Philippine National Police (PNP) sent 80 Special Action Force (SAF) cops to guard the central business district (CBD) of Makati City and the Global City in Taguig.

"It is understandable that augmentation teams should be sent to Makati’s CBD because of the number of banks and embassies in the area," Estilles said.

The Makati City government is even planning to install closed circuit television (CCTV) units at major intersections of the CBD as a deterrent to robberies and terror acts.

On Aug. 27, some 20 men carrying long firearms stormed the Citibank Center on Paseo de Roxas, taking an undetermined amount of cash. Bank officials said this was the first time that a Citibank was ever robbed.