PNP News Releases 2005

POLICE, BANKING SECTOR FORGE PARTNERSHIP VS ROBBERY

The Philippine National Police and leaders of the country's banking industry today signed a Memorandum of Agreement to reinforce all government and private sector efforts against bank robbery.

The MOA signed today in Camp Crame among 10 government agencies and private entities in the banking industry seeks to add more teeth to the efforts of the Joint Anti-Bank Robbery Action Committee (JABRAC) in preventing bank and armored car robberies.

The JABRAC is composed of representatives from the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), National Prosecution Service (NPS), the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Bank Security Management Association (BSMA), Chamber of Thrift Banks (CTB), Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP), and the Armored Services Association of the Philippines (ASAP).

During the signing ceremony, “Project Bantay Bangko” was been formally launched as an integrated plan of the JABRAC against bank and armored car robberies.

The plan aims to orchestrate all preventive measures, and insure efficient monitoring and coordination among agencies and entities under JABRAC during robbery situations.

Initially, among the activities under Project Bantay Bangko is the conduct of security survey and inspection of all banks to determine its vulnerabilities, and recommend counter measures.

The plan also involves training of Quick Response Teams for police intervention during robbery situations, and specialized training for bank security personnel.

During the past five months of the year, a total of 22 bank robbery incidents were recorded, eight of which occurred in Metro Manila, five in the Calabarzon region, four in Central Luzon, and the rest in other regions of the country.