Makati eyes cameras at major intersections

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay said the local government would be installing closed circuit television (CCTVs) units by next year at major intersections of the central business district (CBD) as a preventive measure against traffic buildups and bank robberies.

In an interview, Binay said the city’s plans to purchase and place CCTVs at the CBD would be fast-tracked especially after the Citibank robbery last Monday when some 20 heavily armed men carted away a still undetermined amount of money during a daring five-minute robbery.

Binay make the announcement during his meeting with agencies handling the security of various banks. "The CCTVs was initially intended for traffic at the Makati CBD, but with the recent robbery it appears that it would serve to resolve another purpose."

The city council would be asked to allot P30 million from next year’s budget to finance the project.

"Once the CCTVs are installed, the police will be able to monitor the movements of all vehicles passing through the major intersections within the CBD," he said.

In the event of another bank heist, the cameras will be able to monitor the movement of vehicles used by the suspects and the police will immediately be informed of their location, leading to their arrest.

On Sept. 1, city officials will be meeting with non-government organizations, Makati Commercial Estates Association and Makati Parking Authority to discuss the implementation of the project.

Joey Salgado, officer-in-charge of the Public Information Office of Makati City, said at present they are still studying the proposals submitted by private dealers of CCTVs.

Apart from the acquisition of CCTVs, Binay also pledged to provide financial assistance to the estimated 80 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police that would be detailed in Makati starting next week to again augment security personnel.

Meanwhile, SPO3 Dioscoro Asinas, chief of the theft and robbery section of the Makati City police, said they have not yet filed robbery charges against the four identified suspects and their accomplices who have still to be named.

Last Thursday evening, Makati City Police head Superintendent Joy Gutierrez said based on the pictures captured in the Citibank’s CCTVs and accounts of witnesses, they were able to identify the four suspects as Eli Roman Perez, Randel Llanes, Rodolfo Leyte and Rodolfo Amistoso. He also presented two cartographic sketches of the two other suspects.

Asinas said Citibank has not yet informed them of the amount taken from their main office last Monday. "We have not yet completed the information. We weed to cite how much was lost."

However, he explained that this was intentionally being done by the bank. "This has been our experience with banks whenever there is a robbery. They are really late when it comes to stating the amount because they still have to audit it."

He added they have already submitted a request letter to the PNP Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame to subject the 12 security guards, who were on duty in the bank last Monday, for polygraph tests.

"We already sent the request and the guards said they are willing to undergo a lie detector test. The crime laboratory would now schedule when they will undergo the test," he said.