Dalaig heirs now want his ring back

The Manila police are investigating complaints by the relatives of slain Commission on Elections (Comelec) legal chief Alioden Dalaig that his ring is also missing.

“One ring is said to be missing and we’re looking into that. I have no idea about the make of that ring. All I know is that it’s a two-karat ring,” Superintendent Nelson Yabut, head of the Manila Police District (MPD) Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, told Comelec reporters.

Yabut went to the Comelec office yesterday afternoon to get statements from two of Dalaig’s staff regarding the reports Senior Police Officer 2 Benito Cabatbat had attempted to switch Dalaig’s gold bracelet with a fake one.

Yabut said these personnel were around when the police turned over Dalaig’s personal belongings to his family last Nov. 16. Dalaig’s widow, Filomena, however, complained that the bracelet was not that of her husband.

The relatives also complained that Cabatbat refused to give them Dalaig’s money, insisting that a politician from Bulacan was claiming it. Cabatbat also alleged that several people have claimed to be Dalaig’s realtives.

Because of this incident, Cabatbat and his superior, homicide head Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr, were relieved from their posts.

According to Yabut, they are also coordinating with the medical staff of the Ospital ng Maynila who attended to Dalaig.

“Many people were at the crime scene and we have to take that into consideration. We’ll also be checking the video and pictures of the crime scene in the hope that they captured what he was wearing then,” he added.

Yabut also said Dalaig’s heirs are set to issue affidavits on the alleged bracelet-switching incident.

“Their sworn affidavits will be used as basis for the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Yanquiling and Cabatbat,” Yabut said.

It was Cabatbat who received the victim’s cash and belongings from the staff of the Ospital ng Maynila on Nov. 10, the night when Dalaig was gunned down, Yabut said.

On Nov. 17, it was Yabut who returned to Dalaig’s heirs the real bracelet and the cash money, but now short of P7,000. Yanquiling, meanwhile, said what Cabatbat was returning to the family on Nov. 16 is also the same bracelet turned over by Yabut. He said the Dalaig family only made up the allegation to get back at the homicide operatives who refused to entertain them.

In a text message to The STAR, Yanquiling said at least three journalists witnessed the turnover of the jewelry by Cabatbat, and the family did not say anything about Dalaig’s bracelet.

“While I remain silent on the reason or motive why Dalaig was killed because of massive coruption in the Comelec and Dalaig being a compulsive gambler... There is no truth that it was fake and I’m going to resign if it’s fake. I trust my investigator,” Yanquiling said in his text message.

“How come they are now claiming otherwise?” he added.

Yanquiling said he has no record whatsoever of stealing valuables from victims.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has instructed MPD director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales to file appropriate charges against Yanquiling and Cabatbat. – Sheila Crisostomo, Nestor Etolle, Evelyn Macairan, Carmela Santos