Cops blame banks for successful heists

The director of the Central Police District (CPD) yesterday defended his men and pointed to banks as partly to blame for the recent rash of robberies in Quezon City.

Chief Superintendent Napoleon Castro said banks usually hesitate or totally failed to press their alarm system buttons, which results in delays in the response of police to the crime scene.

He also said banks do not even have an alarm system and security cameras.

"Maybe they (banks) are afraid of a possible encounter between the robbers and the policemen in their establishments, at baka madamay pa sila. Unfortunately, hindi bale nang mawalan sila ng pera basta wala lang masasaktan sa kanila," Castro said.

"We have already encouraged them to inform us through their alarm kung may nangyayari ng nakawan sa loob ng bangko nila so that we could respond immediately," he added. "But the problem is, mabagal ang pagpindot nila sa alarm that’s why most of the time, late nang nakaka-respond ang mga operatives natin."

According to Castro, his men can respond to a robbery incident in three to five minutes.

Castro likewise criticized the lack of security guards manning the banks. Ideally, he pointed out, a bank should have at least four security guards who shall be deployed inside and around its premises.

However, he noted, most of the banks in Quezon City employ only one security guard, who is at times even inside the bank.

Castro said bank security guards are usually outmatched in number and in firepower since security guards merely carry .38 revolvers compared to the high-powered firearms of the syndicates.

"Prevention of crime is everybody’s business. We need the support of the banks to fight these criminals. We can’t watch all banks, considering the many banks we have, not only here in Quezon City but in the entire Metro Manila," Castro said. "And aside from bank robberies, most of our policemen also have to contend with street crimes and other criminal elements."

He said there would be no need to relieve and even sanction CPD-Station 2 commander Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, saying the station chief "did nothing wrong" in connection with the heist at the Bank of Commerce branch on West Avenue teh other day.

Castro said they already have an artist’s sketch of five of the more than 10 robbers involved in the heist. — With Christina Mendez