Thieves break into SSS office in QC, steal employees' personal cash

Unidentified men broke into the Social Security System office in Quezon City before dawn Monday, taking an undetermined amount of employees' personal cash before fleeing. However, SSS vice-president for media affairs Joel Palacios said the thieves failed to make off with the agency's cash, saying much of the loot belonged to employees. "Wala namang nawala na pera. Nawala ang nakalagay ng empleyado (There was no SSS fund stolen. But the thieves made off with the personal cash of employees)," Palacios said in an interview on dzBB radio. Citing initial investigation results, Palacios said the theft occurred at the SSS Treasury Department at around midnight on Sunday. A security guard making the rounds discovered the theft when he saw the air-conditioning unit of the room removed. An initial check also showed the thieves forced open the employees' drawers inside the office. Palacios said employees lost amounts ranging from P300 to P400, with the biggest loss reported at P3,000. Another employee lost a wristwatch, he said. "Contributions ito ng empleyado sa isang fund (The stolen money were the employees' contributions to a fund)," he said. –VVP, GMANews.TV