Crime wave hits Metro

A bank security guard was killed while at least six others were wounded in a daring heist yesterday onboard an armored van that was collecting the daily earnings of a fastfood restaurant at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and EDSA in Quezon City yesterday.

Police identified the fatality as Rizal Guntan, the armored van’s security guard. He died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the body, including one in the back.

The other victims were identified as armored van security guard Antonio Alibo, of Philippine Industrial Security Agency; bank teller Devin Villafuerte; a certain Agustin Loreta, a security guard of Jollibee; and PO2 Esteban Apalla, who was among the officers who responded to the scene. Most of them were hit in the leg.

A bystander was also hit by a stray bullet, but his name was still unavailable as of press time.

At least two parked vehicles at the Jollibee branch were damaged during the shootout.

The windshield of a red Toyota Corolla (TJV-631) was shattered while a bullet hit the side door of a blue Toyota Revo (WNA-370).

It was still not clear if the robbery gang, believed to have consisted of 10 men, were able to take any of the cash being loaded into the van.

Initial investigation disclosed that the incident happened at around 3 p.m in front of Jollibee Muñoz branch.

The armored van was parked along EDSA collecting the earnings of the restaurant when the suspects arrived in two vehicles — a red Nissan Sentra (UEA-173) and a blue Toyota FX van (NYL-460).

The guards reacted by drawing their weapons. A shootout then ensued, resulting in the death of one of the guards.

The exchange of fire caught the attention of law enforcers from a mobile patrol unit on Roosevelt Avenue and the Police Community Precinct-1 of the Central Police District-Station 2 located across EDSA.

As the cops joined in the exchange, the suspects retreated and were able to escape on board the two vehicles despite being fired at.

A few minutes later, authorities recovered the vehicles along Judge Juan Luna street in nearby Barangay Bansalingan, Project 7.

CPD director Chief Superintendent Napoleon Castro said they found blood among the broken glass inside the Toyota van.

Witnesses in the area told police that the suspects transferred to a Kia Pregio after leaving the Tamaraw FX and Sentra behind.

Recovered from the scene of the crime were 16 spent shells from a caliber .45; five from an M-16; seven from an M-14.