# RCBC robbery-massacre

On May 16, 2008, a branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in Cabuyao, Laguna, Philippines was robbed.
It is described as the worst bank robbery in Philippine history.

## Background

A robbery-massacre occurred at the branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) inside the Laguna Industrial Science Park in Barangay Pulo of Cabuyao, Laguna.
The crime occurred prior to the scheduled 9am opening of the outlet with customers alerting the police after the bank did not open as scheduled.
At the scene, a security guard and eight other bank employees were found dead. A tenth bank official was found seriously wounded and was rushed to a hospital. The tenth victim died two days later. The victims were concluded to have been lined up and shot dead by one of the perpetrators. In total the victims consist of eight males and two females.
Authorities, speculated that the perpetrators made use of silencers since nearby residents did not notice any gunshots. There was no signs of forcible entry noted with the bank's backdoor found open. The perpetrators were speculated to be already in the bank early morning. The police recovered 17 empty shells from a .45 calibre pistol and some live ammunitions for an M16 rifle ₱9 million was looted from the bank.
The gang of Herbert "Ampang" Colanggo has been alleged to be involved in the RCBC robbery-massacre. According to police who investigated the case, the lack of eyewitness was the reason why the investigation for the motives and looking for potential suspects is complicated

### Suspects

The suspects were identified as "Pepito Magsino", "Montano Tolentino" and the guard "Joel dela Cruz", a witness who served as a lookout named "Roger", whose goal was to have no survivors who could tell and reveal what would happen inside the RCBC bank, a security guard who left that day named "Joel dela Cruz" one of the suspected suspects (inside job), the police found out.

#### List of suspects

* Pepito Magsino (suspect)
* Montano Tolentino (suspect)
* Danilo Letoquit (suspect)
* Jesus Narvaez (accused)
* Ricardo Gomolon (witness)
* Joel dela Cruz (security guard, witness)
* Crisanto Alvarez (accused)
* Jake Javier (suspect)
* Vivencio Javier
* Jun Alvarez
* Allan Bago
* Eugene Hilario (accused)
* 1 woman

### Victims

While the murder of the victims was taking place quietly inside, among them were a client named Ferdinand and two cashiers identified as Olga Gonzales and Teresita Umayam, Ay was one of those killed.

#### List of victims

* Roberto P. Castro (bank manager)
* Ferdinand Antonio (client)
* Teresita Umayam (cashier)
* Noel O. Miranda (commercial manager)
* Juan Layva (janitor)
* Bernardo C. Lapaan Jr. (operation assistant)
* Baltazar Aguilando (security guard)
* Olga R. Gonzales (cashier)
* Benjamin Nicdao Jr. (teller)
* Isagani C. Pastor (public relations manager)

## Reactions

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the immediate investigation on the robbery case.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) formed Task Force RCBC to handle the robbery-massacre case.
Several bounty offers were put forward by various politicians and the RCBC itself in exchange for the arrest of the robbery-massacre's suspects.

### May 22 police shootout

Three suspects were killed in shootouts with the police in their residences in Tanauan, Batangas on May 22, 2008. In September 2008, the kin of the suspects, accompanied by lawyer Harry Roque who denied their slain relatives' involvement in the robbery filed charges against the police using reports by the Commission on Human Rights as their reference.

## In popular culture

The incident was featured in a crime documentary series Case Unclosed on GMA Network, it was aired on January 22, 2009.