MPD cop faces theft raps over Dalaig’s bracelet

The Manila Police District (MPD) filed yesterday charges of qualified theft against a homicide investigator over his alleged attempt to switch a gold bracelet of the slain Commission on Elections (Comelec) legal officer Alioden Dalaig with a fake one.

Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr., who heads the homicide section, is facing administrative charges due to command responsibility.

Yanquiling and Senior Police Officer 2 Benito Cabatbat have been relieved from their posts following complaints from Dalaig’s heirs that his gold bracelet was switched with an inferior one when they tried to claim the victim’s money and personal belongings at the office of the homicide section last Friday.

The following day, the family of Dalaig went to the office of Superintendent Nelson Yabut, chief of the MPD’s criminal investigation and detection unit, where they retrieved the real bracelet and more than P300,000 in cash. However, the family claimed the cash is still short by P7,000.

“The sworn affidavits of the Dalaig family were used as basis for the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Cabatbat and Yanquiling,” Senior Inspector Edgar Reyes, who is handling the investigation of the bracelet-switching incident, told The STAR.

Yabut said Dalaig was not wearing any ring when he was gunned down, as evidenced by a series of photos of the crime scene.

The Dalaig family claims the poll official always wore two rings, but only one ring – found in a pocket of Dalaig’s pants – was returned to them. Dalaig’s two-carat ring was missing, they said.

“There were many people at the crime scene. We are also coordinating with the medical staff of Ospital ng Maynila who attended to Dalaig. So far what the hospital turned over to the police was properly documented, including only one ring,” Yabut said.    – Nestor Etolle