MPD asks DOJ: Revive ‘milk tea poison’ case

The Manila Police District (MPD) has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reverse a local prosecutor’s ruling that dismissed the criminal complaints against Lloyd Abrigo, the lone suspect in the April 9 milk tea poisoning that left two persons dead.

In an 18-page petition for review, the MPD said clearing Abrigo at this point was tantamount to “a grave abuse of discretion” on the part of Assistant City Prosecutor Dennis Aguila, who cited insufficiency of evidence when he threw out the murder and frustrated murder charges filed against the suspect.

“With grave abuse of discretion, the honorable investigation prosecutor shut the door of justice for the complainant-appellant and the public as well,” said the petition prepared by Supt. Dennis Wagas, head of the MPD’s legal department.

Contrary to Aguila’s reasoning, Abrigo’s “denial and alibi deserve scant consideration,” it stressed.

Lloyd is the son of ErgoCha milk tea owner William Abrigo, who died in the hospital hours after taking a sip of the drink he prepared and served to two customers, Suzaine Dagohoy and her boyfriend Arnold Aydalla. Dagohoy also died after tasting the beverage while Aydalla was confined for several days in the hospital.

After seeing his father fighting for his life in the hospital, Lloyd went back to the shop and asked their helper, Joseph Garnacio, to clean the pitcher used to mix the deadly milk tea, according to the complaint.

Stressing this point, the petition said: “(He) destroyed the crime scene with an intention to mislead the police investigation. His acts are unusual for an innocent person (and) cannot be considered customary procedure.”

In media interviews and in his counteraffidavit, Lloyd repeatedly denied the charges and insisted that he only went back to the store to secure it.