Police, lending firms join hands vs robberies
The Police Regional Office 6 led by Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. met with representatives of rural banks and lending institutions on Wednesday to forge a proactive cooperation to address the robbery incidents in Iloilo.
Robbers are commonly targeting employees of rural banks and collectors of lending companies.
During the dialogue, both parties considered the reactivation of the Joint Anti-Bank Robbery Action Center or the creation of a similar body in Western Visayas.
The JABRAC is a multi-agency monitoring council organized in the previous years by the Philippine National Police and the banking sector to implement measures that will curb bank robberies and strengthen the security of banks.
Part of its function is to direct the inspections of security preparedness of banks and to define the parameters in the conduct of inspections.
Pagdilao also called on the representatives of the banks and and lending firms to help the police by providing active support in the investigation of robbery cases and in the prosecution of the suspects.
“The PNP is not asking for monetary support. What we ask is for you to help us by convincing your employees who have been victims of robbery incidents to cooperate with the police in the investigation and for your company to be steadfast in filing criminal cases against the suspects,” Pagdilao said.
He also asked them to train their personnel, especially collectors, in observation and evasion techniques so they will not become easy targets of robbers.
Those who attended the forum were members of the Iloilo Federation of Rural Banks and Visayas Association of Microfinance Institutions, among others.
In his briefing, Pagdilao said the PRO6 has recorded 48 robbery incidents against lending and financial institutions, half of these incidents occurred in Iloilo province from January to July 2010.
In August, the PRO6 has recorded two incidents, with the robbery at Life Bank Foundation Inc. office in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo being the latest.
One of the suspects, Dennis Betita of Brgy. Barasan Pototan, Iloilo, was already arrested.
Security Measures
Other measures suggested by Pagdilao to the bankers are: target hardening measures by hiring security guards, conduct of in-depth background check on employees and applicants to prevent inside job robberies, establishment of collection centers at the Poblacion, implementation of reward system against robbery suspects in the PNP’s wanted list, installation of alarm system linked to police stations and CCTVs and the adaptation of “log-in, log-out” system.*
