Calungsod chapel loses P100T, checks
CEBU, Philippines - Burglars carted away at least P100,000 cash and some checks from the San Pedro Calungsod chapel at the South Road Properties in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City Sunday morning.
The amount was proceeds of christenings and weddings held at the chapel last week and was supposed to be deposited yesterday.
Initial investigation of the Theft and Robbery Section revealed that the burglary may have happened early in the morning before it was discovered at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Police failed to respond immediately as it was only reported to them in the afternoon.
The TRS of the Cebu City Police Office will subject two security guards, two nuns and chapel secretary to questioning.
The nuns and the guards reportedly keep duplicate keys to the quarter where the cash was kept.
The quarter is located at the basement of the chapel and one of the rooms serves as an office where a plastic drawer was placed.
The upper storage space contained cash and checks while the lower storage space contained undetermined amount of coins and bills.
The police suspected the incident was inside job.
Sr. Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr., CCPO director, said there was a sign of forced entry only at the quarter where the plastic drawer was placed.
“Sa first door walay force entry pero ang doorknob lever sa second door ug mabug-atan maguba unya ang drawer once ma-open ang yawehanan maabli na tanan,” Natu-el said.
Natu-el is confident that the burglars cannot have the checks encashed as these need signature of the payee or the accounts can be blocked by the bank.