MANILA, Philippines -- After suffering three robberies in the past years, including one when the owner’s son was killed, a wheat store in Quezon City lost half a million in earnings to another armed robbery Thursday night.

Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 4 commander, said they are looking into the possibility that former employees were involved in the heist at the Velmar General Merchandize located at No. 14 Lapu Lapu St., Doña Rosario Subdivision, Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon.

Antonio Clarino, who owns the shop that sells sugar and wheat products, told police that he lost at least P500,000 in cash earnings during the robbery that took place at around 7:30 p.m. at his shop.

Clarino told police that he was supposed to use the money to buy more supplies for the shop.

The shop owner said that four men were involved in the robbery and all were armed with .45 caliber pistols and wore baseball caps. Clarino said he had just padlocked the store when the suspects appeared and declared a heist at gun point. One of the suspects fired his gun and broke the padlock of the store.

After gaining entry into the shop, the suspects ordered the employees to lay down facing the ground. The suspects took Clarino into the inner offices and made him point where the money was located. Within five minutes, the suspects took their loot and fled. While Clarino and the other employees said they did not recognize any of the robbers, Pedrozo suspects that a former employee could have helped the suspects. Pedrozo said that the suspects apparently knew the layout of the shop and where the owner kept his money. In the meantime, the police official has asked from Clarino the names of his former employees.