Mayor warns businessmen on resurgence of robberies

Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday warned businessmen in the city to be vigilant following reports that remnants of the robbery group formerly headed by Rey Torres are planning to stage a series of robberies.

Osmeña said he received intelligence reports from police authorities that the comrades of Torres, who is presently detained at the city jail, have regrouped to launch robberies in the city.

The mayor said he has been helping businessmen in the city by requiring them to install effective alarm systems in their establishments, but that they just ignored his advice.

He said it is his duty to inform the businessmen of the threats to their businesses, and it is up to them to heed to his warning.

Prior to the arrest of Torres and some of his comrades two years ago, a series of robberies swept through financial establishments in the city such as banks, pawnshops and lending firms.

But Torres, who was shot and wounded during his arrest in Mindanao, denied that his group was responsible for those robbery incidents in the city.

Authorities have been alerted to thwart any possible operation of the remnants of Torres’ group, with police advising security guards of establishments to be always vigilant. — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM