Ilonggo banker stunned on brutal RCBC heist-killings
Eighteen years in banking experience, more than half of it in the forefront of daily banking operations, an Ilongga bank manager expressed shared shock and wonder on the deadly bank heist of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in Laguna Friday.
Out of the "ordinary," she said and definitely, "not the usual suspects," the bank executive who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
"Out of ordinary" because majority in bank robberies and hold-up situations never had the assailants kill in a methodological way. And "not the usual suspects," she pointed out, saying the "real bank criminals" are focused on getting the money and never to execute one or as in the RCBC case, all present in the targeted bank.
As such, she said it was indeed an isolated case that defied "all standard-operating-procedures (SOP)" in bank robberies. And as a matter of 'procedure' too in the event of robbery-hold-ups, bank employees are told the lives and safety of everybody is of prime consideration.
"Do not hesitate to give the money but take note of salient physical features for the suspect's identity. That is what we are all trained for," she added.
Since Friday's deadly bank heist, Ilonggo bankers have yet to convene and address local bank security management concerns.
There was an email within the banking industry of the RCBC incident, the banker-source said yet she personally do not see the urgent need to change existing security measures here.
Top police and bank officials are set to meet today in Metro Manila to discuss updates on the RCBC Laguna-incident alongside security plans to address heightened concerns on bank security.
"As far as I know there is no existing guideline to change detailed security every six months. There is a general security guideline but every bank has its own security measures in place," she stressed.
Meantime, a bank teller from one of the local bank branches here shared with The News Today (TNT) a nationwide security alert issued some two weeks ago.
The alert came from the bank's central security office that laid down specifics to "watch-out for." Said alerts, the source said, usually happens after validation of suspicious activities monitored in any of the bank's branches.
"We were told to be careful. We never had any security alert for some time now so when it was issued, we do take the warnings seriously. And in our bank, the security guidelines are followed to the very last detail," the source said.
As a matter of general procedure, knowledge of final cash counts are only limited to a maximum of two bank executives usually, the bank manager and senior teller. No other personnel are allowed nor privy on vault-entries. Majority of the Iloilo banks also employ a three-shift security detail.
Iloilo City is considered the center of finance in the Western Visayas region. It is being served by 40 universal, 24 commercial, 11 governments, 9 thrift, 1 development, 9 savings, and 1 Thrift/Government and 2 rural banks.