Robbers kill guard, cart away P1.5M cash, jewelry

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: Three unidentified armed robbers broke into the premises of a steel processing plant in Misamis Oriental, killing a security guard and wounding another early Wednesday, April 17N The robbers also carted away P1N5 million cash and jewelryN

The police identified the victim as Celso Palma, 58, a security guard of Mindanao Talakag Steel Corp., which owns the plant located in Barangay San Martin in the municipality of Villanueva, a few meters away from the headquarters of the provincial police office of Misamis Oriental.

The police said Palma sustained a gunshot wound on the head that caused his instant death.

In critical condition was Theodine Calonia, 30, of Balacanas, Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, who was hit by a pistol on the head.

Col. Choli Jun Caduyac, provincial police director of Misamis Oriental, said that the suspects carted away about P1.5 million in cash and jewelry. They also took the firearm of the security guard.

The suspects fled on board a motorcycle, the police said.

Caduyac said that a person of interest, identified as Reynante Perez, a 50-year-old company driver, was held for questioning hours after the robbery.

Police suspect an insider could have helped the robbers in the heist, considering that the armed suspects went directly to the canteen area where Albert Go, the brother of the company owner, and his wife, are residing.

“Once inside the canteen, the suspects immediately went to the couple’s room and declared a hold up asking for the money,” Caduyac said.

He said that Go had cash on hand as he was in charge of buying scrap iron for processing. The jewelry amounting to P200,000 belonging to Go’s wife was also taken away.