Bank robbers strike in Valenzuela

Some eight armed men, including two in police uniform, robbed a bank and carted away an undertermined amount of cash and valuables yesterday in Valenzuela City.

Senior Superintendent Jose Marcelo, Valenzuela police chief, said shortly before opening of business hours, the suspects, armed with M-14s and M-16s, robbed a branch of the China Banking Corp. at the corner of Cordero street and McArthur Highway, Marulas.

Police said the suspects, together with two men wearing police uniform, entered the bank using the employee’s gate manned by security guard Eljun Renaliza, 21. Some of the suspects fell in line with the bank employees reporting for work at around 8:40 a.m. Once inside, they immediately disarmed all four security guards and tied them up, faces down on the floor.

Probers then waited for the bank manager who held the keys to the vault. While waiting, they started divesting the employees coming in of their cash and valuables.

When the unnamed bank manager arrived, they dragged her to the vault and scooped everything it contained. The suspects later walked casually out of the bank and boarded a waiting gray L-300 van and sped towards Bulacan in the north. – Jerry Botial, Pete Laude