Negros bank robbery foiled

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  – Police foiled a robbery at a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental Tuesday night, killing two of five suspects who nearly carted away P12 million in cash.

Senior Inspector Sonny Boy Bernus, Hinigaran police chief, said the five armed suspects stormed the RCBC branch on Rizal street in Hinigaran town while its employees were working overtime.

Bernus said his men promptly responded to the incident and managed to intercept the suspects who were about to escape with their loot.

Police said a brief firefight ensued, leading to the killing of two of the fleeing suspects, one of them identified as Dennis Espanola, a militiaman under the supervision of the 12th Infantry Battalion based in Barangay Cansolongon, Isabela town.

Bernus said the three other suspects, who were armed with M-16 assault rifles and handguns, commandeered a tricycle, taking with them three bank employees as hostages.

However, one of the hostages, a certain Sellado, managed to escape, while the two others, identified as Mary Suelo and Melanie Nuñez, were later released in Barangay Paticui, about eight kilometers away from Hinigaran town.

Bernus, in his report to Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix, provincial police director, said the three fleeing suspects left behind P102,000 cash, two M-16 rifles, two cell phones, and Espanola’s black shoulder bag.

Found near the bodies of the two slain suspects was a sack containing a caliber .38 revolver and P11.985 million cash.

Investigation showed that Espanola, pretending to be a bank client, sought the help of the bank’s security guards as his ATM card supposedly got stuck in the machine.

But when one of the guards opened the door, the other suspects, who were wearing ski masks, barged in and pointed guns at everyone in the bank.