By Ace Esmeralda,VERA Files
As of this writing, the Mandaluyong police have claimed to have “identified” two of the six suspects in the robbery. But in reality, they don’t have the two suspects’ names and addresses yet. What they have are cartographic sketches that matched the images captured by the CCTV and confirmed by the sales ladies of The Jeweler and F&C Jewelry stores. Ironically, the police were quick to tag the Martilyo (Hammer) Gang as suspects without knowing that pipe wrenches were used to smash the glass displays and that they haven’t identified by name and other personal details any of the robbers.
How did it happen?
At around 6:56 p.m. of that Saturday, the first of the six suspects entered the mall thru a supermarket entrance where the security guards on duty were performing their mandatory and required bag check and frisking. Five others were seen thru CCTV review to have entered the same door, seconds apart each other.