Kidapawan treasury loses P446K to robbers

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines - Burglars took P445,693 worth of revenues from the city’s treasury office in a heist perpetrated last Saturday, city treasurer Elsa Palmones announced Tuesday.

Palmones said the missing revenue collections were turned over by deputized collectors on Friday and were due for deposit to the city government’s depository bank last Monday.

Palmones said they first initiated an extensive investigation on the incident, along with the local police, before deciding to confirm the incident to the media.

Police investigators found out that the burglars forced their way into the city treasury office by destroying the lock contraptions protecting its entrance door.

The suspects managed to destroy the vaults where the collections were kept using carpentry and automotive tools, enabling them to gather all the checks and cash they brought with them as they escaped.

Palmones said the thieves attacked at a time when security cameras in the city treasury office were out of order.

Employees of other divisions in the city government admitted hearing noises inside the treasury office while on overtime work on Saturday, but assumed co-employees were also working there at that time.