Robbers strike twice in upscale subdivision

A BAND of robbers twice attacked an exclusive subdivision in Laguna province, prompting a review of the security policies involving its own guards and local policemen.

The most recent strike happened around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday inside the posh Santierra in Sta. Rosa City. Santierra is a part of the vast commercial and residential property development Nuvali sprawling in the adjacent cities of Sta. Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba.

According to a report obtained from the Sta. Rosa City police, five robbers stormed the house of a doctor identified as Efren Domingo, 57, on Sunday night.

While Domingo’s driver, Angelo Vercasio, was about to clean his employer’s vehicle, two men armed with handguns appeared and ordered him to drop to the ground, the report said.

Domingo’s helper, Kristine Lou Valledor, was ordered to do the same while the other robbers stormed the house.

Domingo and another person identified in the police report as Bob Emerson Cortez were ordered to lie on the ground as the robbers carted away their personal belongings, including computer laptops, cell phones, electronic gadgets, signature bags and expensive watches amounting to nearly P1 million.

“The robbers tried but failed to open the doctor’s safety box. They were rattled by the roving security guards,” said a police source, who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter.

They opened fire at the three security guards, hitting two of them in the feet, before escaping. None of the victims were hurt, “but they were traumatized,” the source said.

Laguna police believe the case is related to an earlier robbery, also inside another Nuvali subdivision in Calamba last week. Both remain under investigation.

“The problem is the local police could not immediately respond (to crimes happening inside private subdivisions) because of the policies (of the security personnel),” said Senior Supt. Florendo Saligao, provincial police director, in a phone interview.

Saligao said he met with Nuvali’s security personnel on Monday night and requested that policemen be allowed to rove around the subdivisions. The property developer has agreed to this, he said.