LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Burglars again hit another office in the Lapu-Lapu City Hall compound and fled with at least an estimated P100,000 cash.
This time around the thieves stole cash from the Civil Registrar’s Office located on the second floor of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Lapu-Lapu City District Office building.
READ: Thief hits another Lapu-Lapu city hall office, flees with P50K cash
LOOK: Another burglary incident at Lapu-Lapu City Hall compound
The burglary was the third incident that happened in the City Hall compound in 18 days with the thieves stealing cash and gadgets at the City Social Welfare and Development Office last September 25.
On October 1 or 2, burglars stole P31,000 cash in the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit at the City Health Department Office on October 1 or 2.
READ: Police not discounting ‘inside job’ in Lapu CESU burglary
Today’s burglary was discovered by Melissa Augusto, assistant city civil registrar, when she found out that her drawer had been opened and the the P50,000 revolving fund and last Friday’s P29,490 collection inside her table’s drawer were already gone.
“Pag-abli nako aning akong drawer, hibung ko pag-ana nako sa akong yawe, ingon ko mura man ug luag. Pagtuyok nako nitingog man, mao mana akong sign nga kung mitingog, lock nana. So katong pagpasok nako, abli nato,” Augusto said.
(When I opened my supposedly locked drawer, I found out that the drawer was already opened. I turned the key and found out that I was locking the drawer.)
She then informed her officemates about her drawer forcibly opened and the lost cash prompting her officemates to also check their drawers.
Yolanda Pangatungan, city civil registrar, also said that upon hearing about the burglary, she immediately checked her drawer where her P5,000 personal cash; P15,000 office petty cash; and P4,000 cash that was set aside for the payment of their uniforms were placed.
“Kampante pako kay lock man gihapon ang akong drawer. Pero dihang ako nang gi-ablihan, nahibulong ko nga wala na ang maong mga kwarta,” Pangatungan said.
(I was sure that the drawer was locked but when I opened it, I was perplexed as to why the cash I placed inside it were gone.)
Other drawers from her personnel were also forcibly opened by the burglars, but there were no cash inside these drawers.
Pangatungan said she was thinking about how the burglar got inside their office when there were no sign of forced entry.
However, she said that there were several footprints believed to be that of a child at the doorstep of the City Library located beside the Civil Registrar’s Office.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, for his part, believed that there was a big possibility that the burglary was an inside job.
“Sakto nang imoha, way force of entry, so atong gitan-aw ang anggulo nga inside job. Kinsay katapusang nigawas anang adlawa sa adlawng Biyernes, basin wala gi-lock ang maong purtahan. So mao nang gipa-imbestigaran nana nato sa atong kapulisan,” Chan said.
(You are right. There was no forced entry so we are looking at the inside job angle. Who was the last person who left the building on Friday. Perhaps, that person did not lock the door. So we are letting the police investigate this.)
Chan said that he was coordinating with Police Colonel Clarito Baja, director of the Lapu-lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), for their investigation of the incident.
Read: Chan on burglaries: More CCTVs, security guards at city hall compound
In a Facebook post of Chan, he also said that they had already installed additional CCTV cameras in the city hall compound as well as in the Lapu-Lapu City Hospital so that they could immediately identify those who would commit crimes, such as burglary in the different offices of the city hall compound.
Chan said that he would also give a reward to those who could help in their investigation and in apprehending the burglars./dbs