A ranking military official Sunday vehemently denied that some members of the Philippine Army were involved in the Harrison Plaza Mall’s finance department robbery last Tuesday in Malate, Manila, saying that the licensed plate, which was seen on the getaway vehicle used by the robbers, was fake.

Reacting to the article published in the Manila Bulletin Sunday, Lt. Col, Arnulfo Burgos, spokesman of the Philippine Army, said in a telephone interview that the licensed plate (SFN-529) is still in the Army’s White Dodge Pick-up used by the 601st Infantry Brigade in Maguindanao.

“Definitely, what they saw on the getaway vehicle of the supposed robbers who attacked Harrison Plaza was a fake licensed plate. I have verified it that the licensed plate is still intact,” he said, noting that the Army vehicle has already been junked.

Burgos also said that no notorious robbers will ever use a vehicle that can be easily traced or tracked down by authorities who are pursuing them.

“Kung isa sa miyembro nga ng Army ang nag-operate sa nasabing robbery, bakit siya gagamit ng sasakyan na pagmamay-ari din ng army? Sino ba naman ang matinong kriminal ang magpapahuli sa mga pulis ng ganun lang kadali,” he said.

“Definitely, whoever is behind this robbery, they just wanted to put the military in bad light. Sa panahon natin ngayon madali na ang mag-peke ng mga bagay-bagay,” he said.

Last Friday, the Manila Police revealed that they have traced the getaway vehicle used by suspected robbers who carted away an estimated P.2 million worth of cash and valuables from the mall to the military.

According to Supt. Ernesto Fojas, chief of Manila Police District (MPD)-District Police Intelligence Operation Unit (DPIOU), they found out that the vehicle, supposedly used as a getaway car, with licensed plate (SFN 529) belongs to the 301st Brigade Infantry Division, Philippine Army in Iloilo.

“Upon verifying with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), we found out that the licensed plate found on the vehicle used by the robbers was issued to the 301st Brigade Infantry Division of the Army,” he told Manila Bulletin.

Fojas, however, noted that they have sent a confirmation letter before the office of Lt. Gen, Delfin Bangit, Commander of PA.

Meanwhile, Burgos said the Philippine Army will fully cooperate with the investigation conducted by MPD despite repeated claims that they have nothing to do about the robbery incident.

“It will be best that we cooperate with them since in the end we will be vindicated, that the military has nothing to do with the robbery in Harrison Plaza,” he said.