Lax security blamed for P2.8M Casino theft

POLICE said the theft at the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) Casino Filipino Mandaue branch was a result of laxity in the security measures.

Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, chief of the Mandaue City Police Office, said security personnel became complacent because they were already familiar with each other.

Police are still hunting 29-year-old Pascual Urian Jr.,  internal security officer of the Casino Filipino Mandaue branch, who was seen hurriedly leaving the building with a plastic bag of money bills at 12:50 a.m.  last Saturday.

Police said P2.8 million cash was stolen during the incident.

Renato Osmeña Jr., satellite operation manager, agreed that security lapses contributed to the theft.

Osmeña said they dont have enough personnel to monitor closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras 24 hours a day.

“We would like to be as advance as the other countries but we are not equipped with the right personnel to preempt this kind of incident from happening,” Osmeña aid.

Osmeña said Urian had been working with Pagcor for four years as a security officer but it was only after the incident that they learned that he was involved in electronic gambling outside Pagcor.

Because of this, Osmeña said the background of their personnel especially those who are assigned at the critical areas like the treasury office will be scrutinized.

Osmeña reminded Pagcor personnel that they are not allowed to be involved in any form of gambling.

Osmeña said they are not discounting the possibility that there were other personnel who connived with Urian./CORRESPONDENT FE MARIE D. DUMABOC