No bank robs in NE, Bulacan

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO CITY — Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid, Central Luzon police director, clarified yesterday that no big-time bank robberies ever occurred in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan last year.

In a report to Camp Crame, Lapinid cited a report in The STAR quoting lawmakers as saying that 22 banks lost P90 million in robberies last year.

The report cited robbery cases in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, among other parts of the country.

"No bank robbery occurred in Bulacan last year. However, there was a foiled bank rob attempt at the Angat Rural Bank in Barangay San Roque in Angat (town) on Jan. 15, 2005. The suspects were members of the ‘Bolt-Cutter Gang.’ The security alarm system of the bank was triggered, sending the robbers scampering (away)," Lapinid said in his report.

Lapinid also clarified that no bank robbery was also reported in Nueva Ecija last year.

In Pampanga, Lapinid cited the foiled attempt to rob a Banco de Oro branch inside the SM mall here on Feb. 9 last year. — Ding Cervantes