Lucena City police chief willing to turnover father-and-son case to NBI or CIDG
MANILA, Philippines—The police chief handling the case of the father and son who were killed in Lucena City in September said he is willing to turnover the case to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) if the bereaved family sees them inefficient in handling their case.
Lucena police chief, Superintendent Ramon Balauag, along with the family’s main suspect, Percival Peredo, came to Camp Crame in Quezon City Wednesday afternoon, to air their side after Sophia Riego, 60, and her daughter Christina Riego, 33, spoke to the media and to Philippine National Police spokesman, Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., on Tuesday to ask for help regarding the murder of her husband Virgilio Riego, 61, and son Joseph Riego, 27.
He said he had already given a copy of their investigation report to CIDG and asked to be assisted because, as he said, the investigation has already been ruined because he was forced to divulge confidential details about the case just to competently answer allegations that the Riego family is throwing on him.
“I can say na sira na ang investigation . . . kung kukunin ng NBI and CIDG, much better for us (The investigation has been jeopardized. If the NBI and CIDG will get it, much better for us),” he said.
Balauag said they are now 60 percent finished with their investigation on the case, but are still searching for hard evidences that will link their suspects to the crime.
“Syempre kapag insufficient ang evidence, hindi namin mai-pu-pursue yung case (If the evidence is insufficient, we can’t pursue the case),” he said.
He also said they were not able to make a cartographic sketch of the suspect as investigation shows the gunman was wearing a helmet when Virgilio and Joseph were killed in front of their house in Reymar Compound, Barangay (village) Gulang-gulang, Lucena City, around 10 a.m. of Sept. 4, 2011, by a lone gunman who escaped on a motorcycle.
“Hindi kami natutulog. Kung ‘yun lang ang kaya ng resources namin, wala kaming magagawa (We’re not sleeping on the job. If that is what our resources can provide, we can’t do anything about it).”
Asked if he thinks the family has just become impatient, the chief said the family has not been communicating with them and help them with details since they transferred to Manila.
He said the family may have felt that they were being “interrogated” because police have been questioning them for details.
“Syempre, humihingi kami ng details para may mapagsimulan kami (Of course, we’re asking for details so we can start again),” he said.
Balauag also said the duration of the investigation is not important if the case will definitely be solved, “and importante dito ay kung paano namin ito tina-trabaho,” adding there are cases that took years before they were resolved.
Balauag, however, cleared they will still continue with their investigation even as the family’s accusations has damaged him and his family.
“Sana maging sensitive sila na hindi lang ako ang naapektuhan sa ginagawa nila. May pamilya din ako (They should be sensitive that I am not the only one affected in what they’re doing. I also have a family),” he said.
Nonetheless, he forgives them, adding that if they will seek their help again, police is more than willing to assist them.
