Bangko Sentral raises alert on stolen $100 bills

Banks, foreign exchange dealers, money changers and remittance agents have been warned of the loss of 1,403 pieces of $100 bills stolen from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) Ozamiz City branch last June 27. The loss of $140,300 in US dollar notes was reported to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which issued a circular last September 2 containing the serial numbers of the $100 bills. The BSP said any attempt to exchange, deposit or remit any of the stolen US dollar bills must be reported to the LBP or the nearest law enforcement agency. According to a report of Frontline Mindanao Online, the dollar notes were lost to four armed robbers who held up the armored van of the DASIA security agency hired by the LBP. The hold-up took place along the national highway in Barangay Lacupayan, municipality of Tigbao. The armored van was on its way to Ozamiz City and came from the LBP branch in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. — ELR/VS GMA News