Antipolo cops probed for failing to respond to 50-minute bank rob

Senior Superintendent Carlito Dimaano, Rizal provincial director, ordered an investigation yesterday into why his men failed to promptly respond to a robbery in progress in a Security Bank branch only some 50 meters away from a police sub-station.

Dimaano vowed to relieve the entire police personnel of the Kababayan Center 1 along Sumulong Highway in Barangay Mayamot if they are found remiss in their duties.

Three of five robbers sneaked into the bank at 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday and took all of 50 minutes to scoop up an estimated P10 million in cash from the vault and the teller booths, into two duffel bags.

One of the tellers managed to press the button of the bank alarm system which was connected to the Kababayan Center 1, some 10 minutes after the robbers entered the bank.

"Bank alarm 8:30 a.m." was the entry entered in the police blotter. However, policemen at the sub-station did not respond immediately to the robbery in progress, thinking that the bank’s alarm system accidentally went off. They were apparently aware that the bank would open still at 9 a.m.

The robbery occurred while President Arroyo was in nearby Barangay Mayamot inspecting a warehouse containing suspected smuggled rice. Superintendent Jose Dayco, Antipolo police chief, was with the President.

When reporters visited the sub-station yesterday, the blotter entry was allegedly changed from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., apparently to cover up the lapse. Dimaano said they have under their custody the driver of the FX taxi which the robbers commandeered as they escaped toward Marikina City.

Police said they are closing in on a robbery gang, headed by a certain Tisoy, who could have pulled off the bank heist.