Navotas dad’s staff robbed of P240,000

A staff member of Malabon-Navotas Rep. Federico Sandoval was robbed of P240,000 in cash before noon yesterday by three still unidentified gunmen on motorcycles shortly after withdrawing the money from a bank in Navotas.

Sandoval’s official spokesman and chief of staff, Alex Rosete, said the money was intended for suppliers of campaign materials.

Erwin Fernandez, 30, told investigators that they had withdrawn money from a Metro Bank branch along Honorio Lopez Avenue and he was being driven back to Sandoval’s office in Bagumbayan by Renato Gutierrez, 31, in a white Mitsubishi Pajero along M. Naval Street at 10:30 a.m. when the gunmen struck.

Police Officer 3 Dante Madajas said that after blocking the Pajero’s path, two of the gunmen approached the vehicle and ordered them to open the door. One of the gunmen told Fernandez they only wanted the money.

Fearing for their safety, Fernandez handed over the plastic bag containing the cash to one of the robbers. The suspects then ran toward a waiting white motorcycle driven by another suspect. The robbers sped off toward Tondo, Manila.

Majadas said a witness testified that one of the gunmen who robbed Fernandez also held up a trader on Dec. 21 last year after the victim withdrew a large amount from the same Metro Bank branch. – With Jerry Botial