ILOILO – Four officials of Barangay Inangayan, Santa Barbara town could face administrative and criminal cases for the missing footages of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) in light of the killing of businesswoman Claire Diergos.
They were village chief Ricardo Bayog, his councilman, secretary, and the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman.
“We will give them time to prove to us they have no involvement in the missing footages,” said Police Senior Master Sergeant Francisco Lindero Jr., spokesperson of the special investigation team (SIT).
“If they fail to convince the SIT, they would be held liable for obstruction of justice as well as an administrative case to be filed at the Department of Interior and Local Government,” Lindero told Panay News.
The SIT claimed that footages of the barangay CCTV dated Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 were missing.
Bayog earlier said he had no idea about it.
He explained that the CCTV footage is “automatically” deleted every 12 to 14 days.
“The missing CCTV footage was not a vital evidence, but it would somehow help in the investigation. Dapat e-preserve gid ina kay makabulig ina bisan circumstantial lang,” Lindero explained.
“May nakakita nga may salakyan nga kapila magpakadto-pakari sang Oct. 26 sang aga kag nagakuha sang picture sa salakyan ni Diergos sa higad dalan. Amo ‘to tani ang copy sang footage nga need sang SIT. Basi nakuha ang plate number,” he said.
The CCTV footages, including the copy of what the dash cam in Diergos’ car had captured, were submitted to the Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Unit (RACU) of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) and the SIT is still waiting for the result.
Lindero could not tell when the cases would be filed against the suspects.
Evidences are being assessed by the legal team, he said.
Diergos’ body was found in Barangay Inangayan on Oct. 26. She had stab wounds on the neck.
The SIT later found out that she was killed inside her house at Deca Homes Subdivision, Barangay Balabag, Pavia./PN
