SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/15 June) — A rural bank in Placer, Surigao del Norte fell victim to a group of robbers while another robbery attempt targeting a shipping company in Surigao City was foiled.
A police report said three unidentified men robbed Cantilan Bank located along the national highway in Barangay Bad-as in Placer on Tuesday.
Bank employees Julius O. Paluga and Rodulfo Dahay were attending to a client around 1:40pm Tuesday when when three men barged in and declared a hold-up.
The men held the bank’s security guard at gunpoint and took his short firearm.
Dahay, a site manager of the bank said the robbery only took two minutes.
The bank lost 9,000 pesos and two units of cellular phones.
A witness who saw the incident said one of the robbers acted as a lookout in front of the bank with an XRM Honda motorcycle which served as their getaway vehicle.
The witness said the robbers fled towards the national highway.
Chief Inspector Manolito D. Parazo, Placer town police chief said they had obtained a copy of the closed circuit television footage for review and identity of the robbers.
On Monday, three armed men tried to force their way into the office of Cokaliong Shipping in Surigao City but failed to open the door. They declared a holdup and shot the glass counter of the cashiers.
Lovelyn Basadre Tusajen, the issuing clerk, docked and took cover while the robbers fired at them.
The robbers kicked and shot the doorknob. When they failed to open it they turned to the people who were there to buy tickets. They took the gadgets and mobile phones of clients Carlito Aceron and Leo Cayasa.
The robbers fled to an unknown direction aboard a single motorcycle bearing no plate number.
Police could not get the CCTV footage for possible identity of the robbers.
Isaias Besinga Viserie, Cokaliong ticketing manager said only the main office in Cebu could access their CCTV but said she is willing to provide it to the police once it becomes available. (Roel N. Catoto/MindaNews)
