Security escorts of armored van held

Police have detained for questioning two security escorts of an armored van of the Bank of the Philippine Islands branch at SM Fairview in Quezon City that was taken by armed men Friday. The two were identified as Leopoldo Daylosan and Zaldy Babaran of Royal Mandarin Security Services. In their statement to the police, the guards claimed they did not see the robbers drive away with the van since they were inside the mall when it happened, adding that they were gone for only a few minutes. Senior Supt. Raymundo Equibal, chief of the Police Station 5, said three men who posed as security escorts stole the BPI armored van carrying an undetermined amount of money while it was parked in front of the mall facing Regalado Street before noon on Thursday. The robbers abandoned the armored van in front of an unmanned gate of St. Monica Brittany subdivision. Recovered from the van were coins worth P19,500 and checks amounting to P1,424,846.52. Nancy Carvajal

Clinical laboratory employees face charges

The National Bureau of Investigation filed charges on Thursday against the owner and employees of a clinical laboratory allegedly operating as a blood bank in Sta. Cruz, Manila. Charged with violation of Republic Act 7719 (National Blood Services Act of 1994) before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office were Kareen Laragan and Dr. Evelyn Jimenez, owner and clinical pathologist, respectively, of Mother Seton Clinical Laboratory (MSCL), located at No. 1577 Maruy Mansion, F. Yuseco St., Sta. Cruz. Also charged with the same offense were MSCL employees and medical technologists Fely Monsale, Melvin Monsale, Ailyn Guiab, Snooky Buenaventura, Salvacion Parocho, Evelyn Parocho, Quintino Galvan and Rudyl Azarcon. Except for Laragan and Jimenez, the eight others were arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by agents of the NBI Special Action Unit (NBI-SAU) last Oct. 17. They were, however, released the following day for lacking the necessary documents for the inquest proceedings. The NBI said that although MSCL was licensed to operate as a clinical laboratory, it was not authorized to operate as a blood bank. Tina G. Santos

Austria; 80

Civic leader Remedios Rodriguez-Austria, aunt of Inquirer Lifestyle contributor Zardo Austria, passed away on Oct. 23 at the Perpetual Help Hospital in Las Piñas City. She was 80 years old. Her remains lie in state at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Philamlife Village, Las Piñas where a Eucharistic Mass and eulogy rites will be held on Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at 3 p.m. at the Loyola Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque City.