4 of 10 suspects in Cainta bank rob identified

Four of the 10 suspects who robbed a Philippine National Bank (PNB) branch in Cainta, Rizal of P10.5 million last June 1 were identified by witnesses, police said yesterday.

Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Cainta police chief, identified the suspects as Merlinda Flores, alias Merlinada Flores and Samantha, Bobet Enriquez, Elpidio Cuinto, and Alvin Nacor Flores, alias Alvin Reyes and Bunso.

Cruz said they are preparing robbery charges against the suspects who are now the target of a massive police manhunt.

Police said Merlinda was identified as a textmate of security guard Raquel Ramos, one of the three guards stationed at the PNB branch along Felix Ave. in Barangay San Isidro.

Merlinda reportedly sent a text message to Ramos asking him to meet her in front of the bank. But when the security guard opened the door, the suspects, who just alighted from a Starex van with license plate WEG-522, disarmed him and brought him and his fellow guards, Julius Bangug and Jerry Acl, to their quarters at the back of the bank.

The suspects also later herded the bank’s 20 employees to the security guards’ quarters.

They then ordered cashiers Gan Villanueva and Regina Lachina to produce the vaults’ key and scooped the cash amounting to P6.8 million and $70,000.

Before escaping, the suspects told the employees that a hand grenade was attached to the door knob, apparently to dissuade them from going out and give them more time to escape.

The van was found abandoned along Karangalan Village in Pasig City. Recovered inside the van were a caliber .38 revolver, a hand held radio, a helmet with SWAT markings, seven pieces of magazines for an Armalite rifle, shotgun ammunition, and license plate VCL-333.

The Starex van was owned by Segundo Diaz, operations manager of CSI warehouse of Adjutant Alliance Corp., in Barangay Matic-Matic, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan, which was also robbed by the same suspects last May 30.

Cruz said the four suspects were identified through the rogue gallery kept by the Rizal PNP.