After the showing on television of the video footage which captured the alleged illegal releasing of seized “ukay-ukay” (used clothes or clothing intended for relief purposes) last Sunday evening from the office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7, its chief is seeking the removal of the items from their office to erase doubts from the public.
Supt. Rex Derilo had already denied earlier that there are pieces of evidence missing from the 80 bales of used clothing placed under their custody after a video footage of a suspicious truck, trailed by a sports utility vehicle spotted going out of Camp Sotero Cabahug, was aired last Monday over “Balitang Bisdak”.
CIDG-7 office is located inside the said camp. The unusual presence of a truck inside the camp at that hour caught the attention of the news crew of “Balitang Bisdak”.
Derilo who learned of the report the next morning immediately ordered an inventory on the bales worth P800,000 including 10 carpets that were seized from a warehouse in Rabaya Street, South Reclamation Area in Talisay City last week.
“As far as the evidences are concerned, all are intact based on the actual count on the receipt during the raid,” Derilo said.
The owner who was not around when the raid happened was identified as Myrna Solomon. The police have filed charges against her for violation of Republic Act 4653, or for the importation of used clothing for commercial purposes.
To erase doubts from the public, Derilo would ask Regional Trial Court Branch 9 Judge Geraldine Faith Econg to move the pieces of evidence from their office to a bonded warehouse where they could keep the items.
Derilo said that aside from doubts and or suspicions of illegal releases, the presence of the 80 bales of used clothing on the narrow corridor of their office proves to be a fire risk and has also been blocking their evidence room.
He added that in spite of the issue, the CIDG would still go on with their operations against illegal activities especially those that involve economic sabotage. — Edwin Ian Melecio/MEEV