POLICE INCOMPETENCY: Sen. Raffy T. Tulfo expresses disappointment in the conduct of investigation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on the case of Dodong, a witness on Elvie Vergara’s case, the abused and maltreated housemaid. During Tuesday’s public hearing, September 19, 2023 of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, Tulfo said he couldn’t believe that the police failed to recover any bullet or empty shell in the crime scene. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — No fired bullets were found within the area where the main witness to the case of alleged domestic helper’s maltreatment was attacked, according to the Paluan Municipal Police Station (MPS) chief Maj. Rodrigo Borlado Jr.
Last September 12, 48-year-old witness Jay-ar Suarez Dimerez was tracked down by an unidentified armed man in a home along Sitio Apnikan, Barangay Tubili, Paluan in Occidental Mindoro.
When senators asked whether authorities recovered pieces of evidence at the scene, Borlado said they did not find any fired bullets or cartilage within the area where the shooting incident occurred.
“Yung investigation ay ongoing pa rin po at sa tulong na rin po ng Soco (Scenes of Crime Officer) nag connect na rin po yung investigation natin na wala rin po silang na-recover na evidence or fired cartridge or fired bullet or nakitang bullet impact sa floor,” Borlado said the upper chamber’s committee on justice and human rights during its hearing on Elvie Vergara’s case on Tuesday.
(Our investigation is still ongoing, but the findings of Soco match the results of our investigation that no fired cartridge or bullet and bullet impact on the floor were found within the area.)
Upon hearing this, Senator Raffy Tulfo retorted that the results of their investigation either suggest incompetence or a coverup.
In response, Bolardo reiterated that the inspection is still ongoing and the content of Dimerez’s affidavit matches their investigation, which shows that there was “no intent to kill” during the attack.
Earlier in the hearing, Dimerez said his attacker was wearing black clothes and holding a black revolver, firing it twice on the floor.
According to Tulfo, Bolardo should coordinate with the Firearms and Explosives Office of the Philippine National Police to determine who owns a revolver within Paluan.
On the other hand, Col. Jayson Cunana Ermina of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said that they already have a person of interest and likewise assured the safety of three witnesses in their custody.