P50-M insurance eyed in P18-M forex shop heist

A San Juan City foreign exchange shop that was reportedly robbed of P18 million last Dec. 1 was insured for P50 million, an Eastern Police District (EPD) official said yesterday.

Superintendent Eduardo Villena, head of the EPD District Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), said the owner of Sanry’s foreign exchange shop took out an insurance policy on the establishment last March.

Villena said Neri Sunga, 52, is paying a yearly premium of P563,000. Under the insurance agreement, the shop would get the actual loss or P18 million, regardless of the reason for the robbery.

However, Villena clarified that Sunga cannot yet recoup his alleged P18 million loss because he has to present a police report before the insurance firm.

“Being the head of the DIDM, I’m the only authorized person to issue a police report. I cannot issue one at this moment because I’m not yet finished with my investigation,” Villena told The STAR in an interview.

EPD director Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz ordered Villena to step into the case following Sunga’s refusal to cooperate with the San Juan City police investigating the incident.

The foreign exchange shop is located in a San Juan City mall. The thieves allegedly gained entrance by removing the galvanized iron sheets at the rooftop of the building. Sunga discovered the robbery the next day.

The San Juan City police had taken the statements of five of Sunga’s employees, who gave inconsistent statements on how much money was kept at the vault at the time of the incident.

Villena said he asked the permission of the five employees to subject them to a polygraph test but they refused.

Police also took the statements of at least 31 security guards who were deployed at the 12 exit and entry points of the shopping mall during the incident.

The security guards claimed they noticed nothing untoward happening at the foreign exchange shop office during their watch. Villena said he already visited the shop’s office but declined to reveal his findings so as not to jeopardize his investigation.