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Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso has offered a P1-million reward for the capture of seven suspects that robbed a Metrobank branch in the Binondo district Thursday morning.
According to a report from the Manila Police District, the Metrobank branch along Sto. Cristo Street corner C.M. Recto Avenue was robbed at around 8:40 a.m. or shortly before its opening hours.
Apart from offering the reward, Moreno urged the public to come forward if they can identify any of the suspects.
“I am now offering P1 million for the arrest of at least seven suspects who also took away the CCTV of the bank. But as per information, the Manila Police District have already secured a copy of the CCTV from the barangay,” the mayor said.
“To those individuals who are watching, whoever knows and who will know and who can give us information to capture the criminals, I will give you a P1 million reward,” he said.
Police investigators said the suspects tied down the bank’s security guards, tellers and other employees.
The report said two of the suspects were wearing security guard uniforms, while another was in a Grab uniform.
The suspects herded the bank workers inside a room. No one was hurt, police said.
Domagoso said police were still determining how much money was stolen.
Manila Police District chief Police Col. Vicente Danao said the police were only able to enter the bank two hours after they arrived at the scene because the bank’s branch head stopped them.
Because police were not allowed to enter the bank right away, Moreno suspected the robbery was an inside job.
The mayor warned the branch head and the bank’s chief of security they will be held liable if it is found that there was abuse on their part.
“We will make them liable and we will think they are part of that criminal element,” he said.
According to Moreno, the branch head said the law enforcers should not enter the bank as compliance with the “BSP rule,” apparently referring to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
“A crime happened, and police were not allowed to investigate? Is it logical?” Moreno said.