The Philippine Army lost nearly half a million pesos (P400,00.00) to thieves who broke into the Finance Section at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, a police report released Wednesday said.
The report from the National Operations center at Camp Crame said the theft was discovered around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, right after the daily formation, when Sgt. Ernesto Silao entered the office and found the steel vault open and the cash missing.
Silao immediately informed his superiors of the incident.
The report said investigators found no sign of forced entry, as the office lock was intact. The vault's padlock, however, was missing, the report said.
The report quoted Silao as saying only two persons-Major Ramon Torres, chief of the operation and intelligence section, and Captain Carlito Lachica, finance section chief - have duplicate keys to the vault.
He was also quoted saying the vault's padlock had been defective for a long time.
The police report said there were 18 soldiers in the vicinity at the time the theft wwas discovered.
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Although the facts seem to allude inside job, let us give them the benefit of the doubt and presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. The two key holders should be the center of the investigation and also army personnel seen in the vicinity when the vault was allegedly noticed already interfered with.
The two officers who are key holders should voluntarily submit themselves to a polygraph test to clear themselves of the suspicion if they have nothing to do with the heist.
Let us just wait for the updated developments of this case.