Heist in Mandaue City: Robber kills LBC worker for P2,000

CEBU, Philippines – For hesitating to let go of P2,000, an employee of a courier firm was shot dead by a robber yesterday morning in Mandaue City.

The victim was identified as Eugenio Agmata, 49 years old, married, of barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City. He worked as a customer assistance staff of the LBC Express branch in Manuel Briones St., Guizo, Mandaue City.

The Theft and Robbery Section of the Mandaue City Police said that a man armed with a caliber .45 pistol entered the establishment at around 8:45 a.m. and declared a hold up.

Trixia Montero, who works at LBC Express, told the police that she was the one who was first approached by the robber, who asked her where the money was.

The robber reportedly opened the drawer of Montero but found no money inside and then dragged her to the back portion of the establishments where Agmata was then counting bills amounting to P2,000.

Montero said that she was pushed by the robber to the stockroom of their office and she even managed to tell Agmata not to resist and give the money.

Agmata apparently hesitated to give the money and was shot by the robber. Montero said that she heard shots fired while she was in the stockroom.

The victim sustained a gunshot wound on the right side of his chest and died on the spot.

Montero described the suspect, who barged into their office as slim built, between 23 to 25 years old, 5’2” in height, with dark complexion, wearing a green and white striped polo shirt, denim pants, and rubber shoes.

The robber was believed to have been accompanied by three others, who stayed outside of the establishment to serve as look outs.

The police have witnesses, who saw the plate number of the motorcycle used by the robbers.

Ronnie Montenegro, a jeepney dispatcher, told a police investigator that the robbers fled on board an blue colored Honda XRM with plate number GM-2779.

Police said that other witnesses were able only to recall the number 7753 of other motorcycle used by the robbers.

The robbers reportedly fled towards barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City.

Responding policemen recovered three empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol and a slug.

Mandaue City Police Chief, Sr. Supt. Orlando Ualat said that there was no beat patrol policeman in the area at the time of the incident because they were at the station for a briefing on new assignments.

He said that there was a mobile patrol unit in the area, but was at a nearby gasoline station when the incident happened.

The police also found out that the establishment does not have a security guard and the surveillance camera of the establishment was not functioning.

Reynaldo Abradilla, assistant manager of LBC, admitted that they do not have a security guard since the branch does not have transactions involving huge amounts of money.

The LBC management has assured that it will shoulder the burial expenses of the victim.

This is not the first incident of robbery involving a branch of the courier company.

In November last year, the LBC branch located inside a mall in the Banilad, Cebu City area was also robbed by four men.

The four robbers carted away P80,000 in cash and three cellphones worth P11,000.

In February 7, 2009, the LBC branch in Minglanilla town also robbed by three men. The robbers ran off with around P14,000 cash.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, Cebu City Police Office director, has offered to help the Mandaue City Police identify the suspects.

Comendador said he has already directed the Theft and Robbery Section to look into the pictures in the rouges’ gallery to see if there is anybody who matches the cartographic sketch.

The said establishment also does not have a CCTV camera as well as a security guard. – with Niña G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)