Guard killed in Malabon robbery

Police are tracking down at least four gunmen who killed a security guard during a robbery of a firm owned by a brother of Malabon City Mayor Canuto Oreta on Good Friday.

Inspector Marcelo Orosco, chief of the Malabon City police anti-crime unit, said that Rogelio Pastiteo, 37, was found dead by another guard, Raul Caberto, at 6:50 a.m.

Caberto was supposed to relieve Pastiteo, who was the night shift guard at Triple One Management and Development Corp., owned by Len Oreta, the younger brother of the city mayor. Caberto immediately called for police assistance.

Orosco said Pastiteo succumbed to three bullet wounds in the face, two in the body and another one in the left arm.

Northern Police District Scene of the Crime Operatives, led by Senior Inspector Carlos Mendez, recovered four shells from a .45 caliber pistol and three deformed slugs.

Orosco said yesterday that they were still trying to determine how the suspects gained access to the company premises because the main gate showed no sign of forced entry.

"Unless somebody inside opened the gate and allowed them to get in," Orosco said.

The robbers forcibly opened the company’s steel safety vault using the firm’s own acetylene torch. Also found near the destroyed safety vault were a crowbar and a vise grip.

The suspects escaped with an undetermined amount of cash but left behind coins worth some P50,000, Orosco said, adding that the contents of drawers and cabinets were left scattered on the floor.

Witnesses told police that they saw at least four men wearing masks fleeing on foot from the company premises. – Pete Laude