Inside job theory in Magelco heist confirmed, cash returned - police

COTABATO CITY - Three days after the P1.6 million pesos taken by lone holdupper, who mysteriously sneaked inside a van, from the Maguindanao Electric Cooperative (Magelco) cashier in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanaohas been returned, minus P300.000, though.Senior Supt. Lindsy Sinsuat, DOS town police chief, told DXMS Radyo Bida, that Magelco General Manager Sultan Maongco admitted one of the victims connived with the lone suspect but decided to return the loot.Sinsuat said Basit Benito, the firm's security guard and the one who escorted cashier Hanna Malang, admitted to the Magelco manager and returned the P1.3 million cash.He said the manager is still negotiating with the hold-upper for the return of remaining P300,000. It was benito who handed over the money to Maongco, Sinsuat said.Malang, Benito and Toyota D4D van driver Gerome Romuar, were heading to Magelco main office in Barangay Capiton, DOS, when a masked man hiding at the rear part of the van declared holdup in Barangay Katalungan, Datu Odin, Maguindanao.Armed with cal. 45 pistol, the lone gunman tied the victims' hands with a duct tape then fled.The fuming Maongco warned the suspects that he will not let this pass unacted upon and that heads will roll.Maongco told Sinsuat that he gave the suspects until September 2 to return the remaining amount or they will be charged accordingly.All the three victims could not say how the suspect sneaked in the van.He said the victims, Hanna Malang, 26, Magelco cashier, Basit Benito, 52, security guard and Gerome Romuar, 39, Magelco driver, were on board a Toyota Hi-Lux D4D van heading to Magelco office when the incident happened at 3 p.m. Thursday. The victims had come from various sub-offices of Magelco in Maguindanao where they gathered the collection money. Only three of them in the van and they were unaware of the 4th man in the vehicle.Sinsuat saidMalang and Romuar maintained theywere really unaware of the 4th man in the van.The police chief did not say how Maongco managed to convince the suspect to return the loot.