ILOILO — Losses from the daring mall robbery in Barangay Ungka, Pavia town have ballooned to more than P30 million, prompting the police to form a Special Investigation Team as investigators now consider the possible involvement of the notorious “Termite Gang” and an inside job.
Police said at least three suspects were involved in the break-in, which targeted a jewelry shop and money changer inside GT Mall. Authorities continue to review security camera footage, gather forensic evidence, and interview mall personnel as the probe expands.
In an interview on Thursday, Police Captain Ritz Field Presquito, officer-in-charge of the Pavia Municipal Police Station, confirmed that the actual losses were far greater than initial estimates.
“From the pawnshop, around P30 million worth of jewelry was taken, along with an estimated P200,000 in cash. The money changer lost P500,000-plus in peso bills and an undetermined amount of assorted foreign currency,” Presquito said.
Presquito said investigators are pursuing two major angles — the possible involvement of the Termite Gang and the likelihood of an inside job.
He noted that the entry technique, ceiling access, and quiet escape are consistent with previous robberies attributed to the group.
Based on police assessment, the robbers were believed to have accessed the mall through an external drainage system, reached a spa in the mall and bored underneath the spa’s tiled floor using tools. Investigators said the robbers then climbed to the ceiling space to maneuvered their way to their targets before escaping through the same route — without triggering alarms.
To fast-track the investigation, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has created a Special Investigation Team composed of personnel from the Pavia Municipal Police Station, IPPO, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Presquito said the formation of a probe team reflects police assessment that the robbery involved skilled planning and possibly an organized criminal group./PN