In two months: VSMMC burglarized again; cash, gadgets carted away

CEBU, Philippines - Unidentified burglars carted away close to P300,000 worth of cash and gadgets from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center two weeks ago.

The incident happened two months after the same hospital was also burglarized by still unidentified culprits.

Chief Inspector David Señor, Fuente Police Station chief who also heads the Theft and Robbery Section, said the recent burglary happened on September 21 and was discovered by Leoncio Eramis, admin aide of the hospital.

Señor said the burglars broke into the hospital’s training center by forcibly breaking its door using a hard object.

They then reportedly destroyed the cabinet file vault inside the center and took the MacBook worth P50,000 owned by Dr. Cecilia Mabalatan, the chief training officer; three laptops amounting to P126,000; a DSLR camera worth P85,000; and P3,000 cash.

CSIU operatives have lifted fingerprints from the crime scene which will be used for cross-matching with those who have been previously arrested.

Señor said VSMMC was also burglarized on July 20, suspecting that the incident as an inside job considering that the burglar used a master key.

With this, the TRS chief reiterated his earlier recommendation for the hospital to install closed-circuit television cameras to deter criminals. The police describe VSMMC as having tight security.

Homicide investigators have in fact sent a letter to the hospital management to allow them to conduct investigation into cases involving patients, but the management has not given its word yet.

Meanwhile, VSMMC chief of security Alvin Pabua disclosed that two admin personnel who are both women are now under investigation.

He said the culprit/s did not enter the office forcibly based on the result of the latent fingerprints method.

He said the valuables and money were discovered missing around 8 in the morning on September 21 when the employees entered the office, but they have no idea as to what time the valuables were stolen.

Pabua refused to divulge further information, saying that the matter is already under investigation before the TRS.

He admitted though that their security inside the government hospital is “lax” resulting to the robbery.

“Naa g’yod mi lapse isip security,” he told The Freeman.

VSMMC has over 60 security personnel manning the premises of the hospital.

Right after the incident, Pabua said two security personnel were assigned at the admin office, guarding the front and back portions of the building.

He met with some of the personnel yesterday afternoon to discuss internal security measures while reminding them of their key mandate, which is to secure and monitor the institution of any untoward incidents.   He emphasized to them how vital is their work in ensuring peace and security within their area of responsibility, reminding them to immediately report incidents like robbery to proper authorities.

“Among paningkamutan nga dili na mausab ang maong insidente ug mas mo-trabaho pa gyod mi,” he added. — Bryner L. Diaz and Kristine B. Quintas/NSA (FREEMAN)