Bank says armored van lost P50-M in heist

After more than three weeks of silence, a bank has declared it lost P50 million to robbers during an armored van robbery in Pasig City.

Charlie Taganas, I-Bank representative, informed police yesterday that six armed men took off with P50 million in cash remittances during a robbery staged last Aug. 15 in front of the Discovery Center along ADB Avenue in Barangay San Antonio.

"They (bank officials) declared that the missing cash remittance was more or less P50 million," said Superintendent Gerry Galvan, Pasig City police chief investigator.

Four people, including two security guards, were hurt in the robbery, which was staged as the Eastern Police District (EPD) was celebrating its 32nd founding anniversary.

Galvan said they are eyeing members of the Ampang-Colango robbery group as those who pulled off the heist.

He said crack police teams have been hot on the trail of the gang members.

"We have identified two of the six robbers who pulled off the heist. The only thing left to do is to arrest and file appropriate charges against them," the police official said.

The armored van was delivering the cash to the I-Bank remittance office at the 20th floor of the Discovery Center when the robbers, armed with high-powered firearms, struck. – Non Alquitran