P1.54-M lost, guard killed in Pampanga heist

GUAGUA, Pampanga - They shoot to kill first, then announce a holdup.

In a deadly twist to holdup schemes, three motorcycle-riding men sidled up to a bank’s car carrying some P1.54 million, shot the security escort and told the guard’s companion about the holdup.

The incident happened in the middle of a traffic jam along the MacArthur Highway in Barangay San Pedro here at about 10:45 a.m. last Monday.

The holdup men then conveniently snaked through the traffic, and fled with the huge amount of cash toward Floridablanca town.

Police said security guard Joseph Pantaleon, 30, died of a gunshot wound in the head some five hours later at the Jose Lingad Memorial Hospital in San Fernando City.

His companion, Sebastian Marquez, 63, liaison officer of the Lubao Rural Bank, was unharmed. One of the robbers attempted to shoot him with a caliber .38 pistol but the gun apparently jammed.

Marquez and Pantaleon were on their way to deposit some P1.54 million at Equitable PCI Bank here when the motorcycle-riding men positioned themselves to the left side of the duo’s Kia Pride and immediately shot Pantaleon in the head. — Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu