2 killed in Cavite mall robbery

MANILA, Philippines - A bank teller and a security guard were shot dead in a robbery incident inside a mall in Dasmariñas, Cavite yesterday morning.

Cavite provincial police director Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao identified the slain victims as bank teller Rey Tingco and security guard Felipe Cipres, who were shot by a group of at least five armed men as they moved P5 million from Robinson’s Bank to the nearby JMY Money Changer Shop at Robinson’s Place.

Another security guard Melu Quinabandal was injured after engaging the suspects in a shootout.

Bulalacao said the incident happened at around 10 a.m. after Tingco withdrew P5 million from the bank on the ground floor of the mall. As Tingco, who was guarded by Cipres, Quinabandal and JMY Money Changer liaison officer Eduardo Malayba were walking towards the money changer located some 50 meters away from the bank, the robbers appeared and started shooting at them.

He said they will question the mall’s security guards how the suspects managed to bring in their guns. “The mall does not have a walk-through metal detector and the guards were not thorough in their physical checking,” he said.