Mallgoers trapped inside SM Megamall during the robbery of two jewelry stores last Saturday were the first to call the police, not the mall's security personnel, the police said Monday. "Nauna 'yung mga nasa loob ng Megamall na tumawag sa mga pulis, 'yung mga nakulong sa loob, mga kliyente, hindi 'yung mismong security officer or 'yung security manager ng SM," Mandaluyong Police officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Florendo Quibuyen said at a press conference Monday afternoon. Quibuyan added that there was also a lack of coordination among the five different security agencies manning that particular section of the mall. "Hindi masyadong smooth ang procedure ng mga security providers, iba-iba kasi [ang agency], iba 'yung kontrata ng gate, sa grocery, department store, iba rin ata sa food services," he said. The lack of coordination also hindered police from reaching the area faster. "Nangyari 'yung insidente sa department store. May mga responders tayo na na-hold dahil hindi alam nung [security post sa] gate na may nangyari na doon sa taas," he said. For his part, Police Senior Superintendent Danilo Maligalig, deputy district director for operations of Eastern Police District, said they are now reviewing the security procedures of mall security. "May they be five or eight [agencies], there should be one tactical operations center [TOC], kasi yung five agencies, iba-iba yung radio e," Maligalig told GMA News Online. "They should have one radio common to all five agencies and then when there's an incident, they would report it to the TOC and that TOC would report to the police." Police composites Police on Monday released composite sketches of two of the suspects, based on descriptions given by employees of stores in the area.
Police sketches of two of the robbers based on witnesses' descriptions. The man in the sunglasses carried the gun, said the police.
Eastern Police District head Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said they found matches in their rogues' gallery of the suspects. "May [sketch] based on description of employees ng jewelry store. Nakita natin may records ang dalawa," he said in an interview on dzBB radio Monday afternoon. One of the suspects was described as 5'5" to 5'6" tall, slim, and 30 to 35 years old. He was described as wearing a baseball cap and checkered polo, blue denims and white rubber shoes. The second was described as 5'5" to 5'6" tall, slim, 35 to 40 years old, and wearing sunglasses, white long-sleeved shirt, blue denim pants and white rubber shoes. Metal detector did not detect gun According to Quibuyen, the CCTV footage shows that the man in the white, long-sleeved shirt was able to bring a gun into the mall despite the metal detectors. "Nasa crotch yung baril, pero nakapasok. Mayroon silang hand-held [metal detectors]... hindi na-detect," he told GMA News Online. In an earlier report, the Philippine National Police's Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (PNP-SOSIA) deputy chief Senior Superintendent Buenaventura Viray Jr. said that they are now considering a review of the mall security manual, which serves as a guide for mall security guards. Malls should also have functioning equipment such as CCTV cameras and a team tasked to look out for suspicious-looking people, he said. Maligalig said, "We are going to do it sa lahat ng malls covered by the Eastern Police District and perhaps, kanina, all the district directors of NCR police, all of us will have that same effort to coordinate with all security personnel with all the malls of the whole Metro Manila." Laurel said the EPD is coordinating with other malls in its jurisdiction to prevent a repeat of the incident. "We should enhance coordination para magkaroon ng smooth action. Ang interoperability of security guards and police para coordinated ang action nila," he said. SM statement In a statement released Monday, SM spokesperson Ian Mathay said that management is "cooperating with the Philippine National Police to ensure that the perpetrators of the robbery are arrested at the soonest time possible." "We appeal for public cooperation as we continue to enforce our strict security standard operating procedures that include scanning through handheld metal detectors and physical inspection. Any act of negligence will be investigated and given proper action to help prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. "We assure the public, including SM employees and tenants, that management invests on security prevention assets and policies including training, security devices and security personnel. SM Megamall management shall ensure that all Security personnel shall constantly perform their duties diligently to ensure safety and security at all times," the statement continued. In a text message to GMA News Online, Mathay insisted that SM "has a substantial number of highly trained guards on duty at all times." "They are given instruction to strictly enforce the use of handheld metal detector and conduct physical inspection of all mall goers," he added. "Further comments about security lapses will be reserved pending investigations." — BM, GMA News
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