Manhunt on for NFA Valenzuela office robbers

Police officials said yesterday that they have launched a manhunt for the seven heavily armed men who robbed the National Food Authority (NFA) Valenzuela City office early Sunday.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Ranier Idio said they gained some headway as witnesses were able to describe one of the seven suspects to investigators.

The suspect was described as between 30 to 32 years old, 5’7" to 5’8" tall, fair-complexioned, heavily built, and wearing a black jacket with police markings and black pants and brandishing a .45-caliber pistol and an M-16 assault rifle.

Idio said his men are coordinating with the police in Meycauayan, Bulacan to hunt down the suspects. The police are also looking into the possibility that the incident was an “inside job.”

Idio said the seven NFA guards on duty when the heist was pulled have been invited for questioning at the police headquarters to further shed light on the incident.

Idio identified the guards, all employed by Lockheed Security Services, as Angelito Barcelonio, 39, at Warehouse 5G; John Rice Gonzales, 23, roving guard; Edgardo Lacson, 32, at the command post; Romeo Casta, 46, at the main gate on Bancal Extension where the attackers gained entry; Randy Cainto, 25, at Warehouses 3 and 4; Constituto Mondrano, 33, at Warehouse 5H and Darwin Custodio, 30, at the administration office.

The official added that the Lockheed Security Agency is also conducting an inventory of the handheld radios and firearms taken from the guards during the attack.

The suspects ransacked the administration offices and destroyed one of its two safety vaults. NFA duty officer Moises Pineda said the NFA's North District Office had just received a large amount of cash from its branches a day before the robbery took place.