Armored van robbed of P3 M in Taguig

Two security guards were wounded when seven unidentified armed men attacked and robbed an armored van of more than P3 million just outside the Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City yesterday morning.  

The police identified the victims as Samuel Cacho, 40; and Rene Boy Pader, 24, who were rushed to the Ospital ng Makati for treatment. Cacho is a security escort for the armored van, which was scheduled to load money into Chinabank’s automated teller machines at the mall.

Pader, who works for the Bonifacio Security Services Inc., is supposed to ensure peace and order in the complex.    

Superintendent Vicente Ramoran, chief of Police Community Precinct 7, said the incident happened around 10:45 a.m. as the armored van (ZEG-577) was parked near the mall.

Witnesses said the robbers arrived in two vehicles, a gray van and a mint-green Toyota Tamaraw FX. Witnesses were able to note part of the FX’s license plate was 698.

The suspects shot at the security guards and commandeered the van, which was driven by Dory de Rojo. The van was later found abandoned somewhere in Fort Bonifacio.

Chinabank teller Kim Alvarez told police investigators he had just loaded money in some of the bank’s ATMs at the mall’s second floor when he heard gunshots. The shootout lasted for five minutes.

Taguig police chief Superintendent Alfred Sotto Corpus said the suspects took the money but left De Rojo unhurt.

Corpus said chokepoints have been set up at all entry and exit points all over the Fort Bonifacio area to prevent any robbery attempts on business establishments. 

“We have already received reports that notorious bank robbery groups are already targeting some establishments here at Fort Bonifacio. We are setting up these security stations as a precaution,” he said.

Ramoran said that due to the robbery, they are set to beef up security measures in the area. “We will now be deploying additional police force that will help man the Global City premises,” he said.