NBI says robbers may have contacts from VECO office

The National Bureau of Investigation is looking into the possibility that those who pulled off the P1.7 million robbery against the Visayan Electric Company office in Mandaue City last Monday have contacts inside the utility firm.

This after some VECO employees told investigators yesterday that the robbers seemed familiar with the floor outline of their office.

The NBI yesterday summoned for investigation VECO's three female tellers, a male cashier, a janitor and the security guard who witnessed the incident.

One of them said the three robbers seemed familiar with the arrangement inside the office because they immediately went to the vault where the money was kept. NBI investigators said this could be an indication that the robbers have contacts inside the firm.

Although the four VECO employees summoned for investigation yesterday are not considered suspects, they underwent a polygraph examination to determine the veracity of their statements. The security guard, Tomas Corpin, likewise underwent the examination while the janitor is expected to take the test today.

NBI executive officer Ernesto Macabare said the examination is a standard investigation procedure. "Lie detector test is an investigative tool to verify the veracity of the testimony of the witness."

Macabare said aside from the three tellers and the cashier, more VECO employees are expected to undergo the test because they intended to subpoena all the personnel who were in the office when the robbery happened.

VECO public relations officer Ethel Natera said in a telephone call last night that the utility firm will just wait for the results of the NBI's investigation before issuing any statement on the developments of the case.

The NBI conducted investigation into the incident following the request from the VECO management. Macabare said an official of the company filed a formal request for the NBI to investigate the case.

Macabare said they would still be closely coordinating with the Mandaue City Police Office, which is also conducting its own investigation into the case. In fact, the VECO officials provided the NBI with the cartographic sketches of the suspects.

However, none of the cartographic sketches from the police matched with the description provided by the witnesses, as the NBI is expected to come up with its own cartographic sketches of the suspects.

NBI investigators are also scheduled to conduct an ocular inspection at the VECO office in Mandaue City. - Fred P. Languido/LPM