By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police are looking for the suspects who robbed a lending firm employee afternoon of August 5, 2021 in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
Captain Myles Dieron, Cabatuan police chief, said the incident happened around 1:30 p.m. after Dexter Genodepa collected dues from their clients at Barangay Tupol Oeste.
Genodepa, 25, a resident of Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, works for ASA Philippines Microfinance.
The two suspects waylaid him as he was navigating a rough road.
Dieron said the two suspects tailed the victim and overtook his vehicle.
The backrider immediately alighted from the motorcycle and flagged him down while brandishing a handgun.
The suspect relieved Genodepa of his collection money amounting to around P50,000 to P60,000.
The two suspects immediately fled after the incident.
Dieron said that they have yet to come up with persons of interest behind the incident. But he said they could be “new” robbers residing within the area or neighboring towns.
Police presented several pictures of possible suspects to the witnesses but claimed they are not the ones who robbed Genodepa.
Dieron said the victim had been working for ASA Philippines and Cabatuan was his area of operation.
“Maybe he has become too complacent. They used to log-in and called us when they are about to pull out from the area. But recently, they don’t do that anymore,” he said.
Recently, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) directed all unit commanders and chiefs of police to start conducting dialogues with financial institutions, including lending companies, in the province.
Chiefs of police should also conduct inventory and check security alarm systems of financial institutions.
They were also tasked to conduct dialogue with financial firms and discuss the modus of the suspect/s and possible coordination when transacting big amount of money.
