The business community should not fret over daytime attempted robbery in a shopping mall in Makati City since the government is on top of the security situation, Malacañang said on Monday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said concerned law enforcement agents are hunting down the armed men who tried to rob a watch store in the Ayala-owned Greenbelt 5 last Sunday.

“The recent incident is a useful reminder that criminality as well as calamity does not respect class differences.

We will look into this case with the same vigor that we will look in any other case involving those who are not rich,” Olivar said in a news conference in the Palace. “We trust that businessmen will not be unduly alarmed by this particular incident,” he added.

Olivar also said local and foreign businessmen should realize that crimes can happen anytime and anywhere.

The government, he added, is open to any dialogue with the business community on how it can improve its peace and order efforts.

“If the occasions with the way we carry our peace and order functions, they know the proper venues to bring out their proposals to improve the way we do our jobs. We are always open to suggestions,” he said.

Olivar also appealed to Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay to stop politicizing the attempted robbery in Makati as the government’s fault since the incident happened in his jurisdiction. He said Binay, who is reportedly running for vice president in next year’s polls, has turned the Makati shootout into a “political football.” (Genalyn Kabiling)