DepEd workers lose P4.8-million teachers' payroll to robbers; inside job eyed

MANILA, Philippines - Two armed men who identified themselves as policemen grabbed two duffel bags containing P4.8 million, meant to pay the salaries and cash gifts of teachers in Rodriguez, Rizal, during a robbery in Marikina City Monday.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele said they are eyeing an inside job as the robbers appeared to have advanced knowledge of the route the local Department of Education personnel, who withdrew the money from a bank, would take.

Mantele said they will subject the seven Dep-Ed employees of Rodriguez to questioning to determine who among them might have tipped off the robbers.

The seven DepEd employees had taken the money from the provincial office at Barangay Dolores in Taytay, Rizal.

They were on their way home in an L-300 van when their vehicle “accidentally” bumped the motorcycle of the suspects in front of the Our Lady of Peace School in Barangay Concepcion Dos, Marikina City at about 3:50 p.m.

Liaison officer Nancy Mendoza and district supervisor Aurea Concepcion of DepEd Disrict 1 in Rodriguez town said the suspects introduced themselves as policemen and angrily confronted them about the collision, at the same time firing their guns into the air.

The suspects told them to drive towards the Agora Complex along Gil Fernando Avenue, where their driver would be issued a citation ticket.

However, the two suspects later entered the van and took the duffel bags and the DepEd employees’ jewelry and personal belongings, the workers said.

Mantele directed the Marikina City police to dispatch tracker teams to go after the suspects.    – Non Alquitran