Manpower agency loses P1.3-M payroll in heist

MANILA, Philippines - A staffing agency in Cubao, Quezon City was robbed of P1.3 million in payroll money yesterday morning by at least four men, one of whom posed as a job applicant.

Job On Link had just opened for business at past 6 a.m. and the only employees there at the time were accounting officer Anave Arcala, 19, and liaison officer Romualdo Villagonzalo, 21. The other employees were expected to arrive at around 7 a.m. The agency’s office is on the third floor of a building at the corner of EDSA and Arayat street.

Arcala said the robbers were able to take her black shoulder bag containing P1.3 million wrapped in plastic and intended for their salaries. The robbers also took her personal money worth P3,000, her mobile phone, a company laptop, digital camera, bank passbooks and checks.

However, she said she managed to remove from her shoulder bag P500,000 wrapped in plastic without being noticed by the robbers. The money was for the office’s daily expenses.

Arcala said the robbers seemed to be in a hurry as the heist took place in only 10 minutes. The robbers pulled out all the telephone and Internet cables of the office before leaving.

When they left, Villagonzalo started opening the window and started shouting for help, which was heard by people outside who called police. Before they heard the shouts, witnesses saw a group of men walk out the building.