Police identify Greenbelt robbers through mall video

MANILA, Philippines - The head of a notorious robbery gang personally led the daring heist at a Rolex watch store in Greenbelt 5 in Makati City last Sunday, the mall’s surveillance videos showed.

A review of the videos showed Alvin Flores and a certain Waway among those who entered the store on the ground floor of Greenbelt 5 mall shortly before noon on Sunday, police said.

“The video footage shows how five of the suspects entered the watch store and started destroying the glass windows by using the butt of an Armalite rifle and a hammer,” Metro police chief Director Roberto Rosales said in an interview.

One of the robbers was killed when two security aides of Taguig City Mayor Freddie Tinga who were members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) chanced upon the heavily armed men and engaged them in a firefight. The SWAT men were Senior Police Officer 1 Cesar Tiglao and Police Officer 1 Efren Ceniza Jr.

A store official said the robbers managed to take away 64 pieces of Tudor watches worth a total of P6 million. Seventy Rolex watches were recovered from the bag of the slain robber.

Police have blamed Flores’ group for some high-profile robberies like those at the St. Scholastica’s College late last year and at a Union Bank branch in Makati City last June.

Rosales said he has dispatched four teams – two each from the National Capital Regional Police Office and the Southern Police District – to search for Flores and his men in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

SPD director Chief Superintendent Jaime Calungsud said that although disguised as lawmen, the robbers easily invited the suspicion of Tinga’s men.

“There is a strict order from NCRPO director Rosales banning the use of police athletic and other type B uniforms, so the SWAT team were observing them since they were not accompanied by a marked mobile car,” Calungsud said.

“When the robbers started destroying the glass windows, the SWAT members sensed that they were not active policemen but robbers, so they engaged them,” he added.

One of the robbers was gunned down as he rushed out of the store. He remained unidentified as of press time.

He said the suspects managed to escape through the basement parking area.

Lost

A Rolex Center official said that aside from losing P6 million worth of Tudor watches, the store has to shell out P2 million for repairing damage.

“We need to rehabilitate the store and we will be spending P2 million for its rehabilitation. The store is presently closed. The Tudor wristwatches that we lost to the robbers and the store are not covered by insurance,” the official said.

He said the store’s security guard is in shock.

Rosales said he has ordered the creation of a special fact-finding committee that would dig deeper into the incident.

“The investigation would center on details on how several armed suspects managed to pass the security of the mall and rob the store without any call for police assistance,” he said.

He said he also wanted to know why the mall security guards did not accost the robbers who were brazenly carrying heavy weapons.

Last Oct. 7, the NCRPO met with security officials and administrators of banks, malls, and other business establishments to discuss enhanced security cooperation.

ALI’s commitment

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. assured the public of its commitment to ensure the safety of its customers in all its shopping malls.

“We assure the public that customer safety and security is paramount in all our malls,” ALI said in a statement.

It said “security measures are in place to ensure mall and public safety.”

ALI said it is closely coordinating with the Makati City Hall and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to pin down the perpetrators.

The company also pointed out that while security was in place at Greenbelt 5 Sunday, the burglars’ approach was “extraordinary” as they posed as cops, wearing bonnets, black T-shirts marked “Bomb Squad,” fatigue pants and combat boots.

Appeal for calm

Malacañang assured the public and the business community that authorities are doing their best to preserve and improve peace and order in Metro Manila.

Presidential economic spokesman Gary Olivar said the incident “is a useful reminder that criminality as well as calamity does not respect class differences.”

“We will look into this case with the same vigor that we will look into any other case involving those who are not rich or those are who are not in our society,” Olivar told a news briefing.

“But the important thing is we treat everyone who’s victimized by crimes like this the same way and we trust that businessmen will not be unduly alarmed by this particular incident,” he said.

“I think businessmen realize that these things can happen anywhere, in any country, at anytime,” he said.

Makati City Jejomar Binay expressed confidence that investor confidence remains high despite the incident.

“I have been mayor of Makati for more than 20 years and we have gone through worse, but we always succeeded in retaining the confidence of the business community,” Binay said.

“Makati will always be a safe place and we have agreed on measures that we need to implement to keep our residents, investors, and visitors safe,” Binay said.

“All parties should strengthen coordination and communication channels,” he said.

“I suggest that the authorities should anticipate a possible surge in brazen and high-profile criminal activities because of the hard times, especially after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng,” Binay said.

“This is not the first time that criminals have used police and military uniforms in their operation. But so far the authorities have not taken steps to restrict their sale and use,” he pointed out. – With Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla, Rhodina Villanueva, Zinnia de la Peña