NFA office loses P1 M to robbers

Seven heavily armed men barged into the office of the National Food Authority (NFA) in Taguig City, taking cash amounting to some P1 million in the heist early yesterday.

Police Officer 3 Ehron Balauat, officer-on-case, said the robbery at the NFA branch along DBP Avenue at the FTI Complex in Barangay Western Bicutan, Taguig City took place at 1:45 a.m.

The suspects, who were wearing black jackets and carrying Armalite rifles, introduced themselves as policemen then disarmed the three security guards of the NFA branch.

Using packing tape, the suspects tied the hands and feet of the guards then dumped them in the comfort room.

The guards were identified as Christian Pajarillo, 20; Rodelio Macahig, 28; and Emmanuel de Leon, 34.

The suspects forcibly opened the cashier’s office, destroyed the vault and took the cash, which police investigators estimated to be P1 million.

Police said the guards’ service firearms — three caliber .45 pistols — were also taken by the robbers.

One of the guards was able to free himself and helped remove the tape on his companions before reporting the incident to police.

Balauat said they are conducting follow-up investigation to track down the suspects who escaped on board a black SUV.

Police have yet to get a statement from a representative of the NFA to find out if documents or other items were missing from the branch office.

The NFA branch in Taguig supplies rice to seven municipalities in Metro Manila.