Hooded gunmen rob Zamboanga bank

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - At least four hooded gunmen robbed a bank before Monday noon in a town in Zamboanga del Norte, but escaped after it failed to open the safety vault, a police official said.

Senior Supt. James Mejia, Zamboanga del Norte police provincial commander, said the gunmen, all hooded and armed only with hand guns barged into the Pres. M.A. Roxas Rural Bank in Barangay Lagatian, Roxas town about 10:55 a.m.

The unidentified suspects on board on two Starex vans barged into main entrance, disarmed two bank security guards and declared a hold-up, directing all personnel and clients to drop on the floor before destroying the stockroom and computer units.

Mejia said the robbers failed to unlock the timed safety vault prompting them to immediately escape carting away the two shotguns of the bank security guards, two laptop units and four cellphones.

He said responding police forces failed to catch the suspects, who staged the bank heist in less than five minutes without going through the tellers’ drawers. The suspects reportedly fled toward Manukan town in the same province.

Mejia said police forces were tracking the suspects for their possible arrest.