Furniture shop robbed of P.5 million in payroll money

MANILA, Philippines - Three still unidentified gunmen on board a motorcycle forcibly took cash and valuables, including payroll money, amounting to some P500,000 from the cashier of a furniture shop yesterday morning in Quezon City.

Police authorities said the suspects waited for Monina Martinez, cashier of the Mandaue Foam Industries on Rosita T. Uy Building on Quezon Avenue corner BMA street in Barangay Tatalon.

The suspects pulled the heist at around 9:15 a.m. yesterday.

As Martinez walked out of the building to deposit the money at a nearby Banco De Oro branch on Banawe street, one of the suspects approached her and at gunpoint demanded the money.

After grabbing the money, the suspect shoved back Martinez inside the building and also grabbed her shoulder bag where she kept the payroll money.

Guard Bernardino Crespo said he could not risk doing anything drastic for fear that the suspect might shoot Martinez.

As the suspects fled on their getaway gray motorcycle with no plates, one of the gunmen fired on the ground to discourage anyone from following.

Police found several empty shells from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.

Initial investigation showed missing were P415,000 in payroll money, Martinez’s P5,500 cash and checks worth some P26,300.

The incident is being investigated further, police said.     – Jerry Botial