‘Burglar’ not after MMDA chief’s papers – probers

MANILA, Philippines - A man who broke into the office of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino was not after documents, the Makati police said yesterday.

Investigators did not recover any documents from Hilbert Mongkano, 22, a resident of Barangay Pinagkaisahan, Makati police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Lukban said.

“With the items recovered from him, the real intention was just to steal,” he said.

Lukban said among the items seized from Mongkano when he was arrested by the agency’s security guards and police officers on Sunday afternoon were a comb, a watch, a coin bank and a bottle of lotion swiped from the desks of the agency’s employees and staff. The stolen items were contained in two bags.

He added that several checks with Mongkano as payee were also recovered from him. According to Lukban, the checks were stolen from Mongkano’s former landlord. Mongkano, police said, forged his landlord’s signatures on the checks.

Police said Mongkano had earlier served as a witness in the case of the stolen checks when it was reported to the Makati police last December.

“He was able to describe how the checks were stolen but pointed to an unidentified man as the one who had stolen the checks from his landlord,” said Lukban.

Police also said Mongkano was accused of allegedly breaking into a computer shop, also in Makati City, last December. No charges were filed as the victims were not able to identify him.

Unlawful entry

According to initial investigation results, Mongkano entered the MMDA building through an aircon duct opening at an office adjacent to Tolentino’s office. Once inside the building, Lukban said Mongkano began collecting valuables from the drawers and tables of the employees.

Mongkano then forced open the door of Tolentino’s office. Police also said Mongkano tried to pry open a vault left at Tolentino’s office by the agency’s former head, Bayani Fernando. The vault was intact, police said.

Lukban said Mongkano, reportedly a seasoned burglar, had planned the heist.

“He studied the movements of people at the MMDA and he chose a time when no one was in the building,” he said.

Police said Mongkano is facing a charge of robbery as he had used force to enter MMDA premises.

Lukban also said Mongkano had acted alone during the heist. “All the fingerprints lifted from the crime scene were all his. He had no accomplice,” he said.