South African embassy vows to help on probe of GRO's death

The South African embassy promised to extend full cooperation yesterday in the Eastern Police District investigation against their two nationals over the death of a 22-year-old guest relations officer (GRO) in Pasig City.

Pierre de Villiers, secretary administrative and consular affairs of the South African embassy and attaché Zoleka Mankahla appeared before EPD director Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz to convey their full cooperation in the probe against their nationals Christo Daniels and Ronaldo Terense.

Despite their repeated denials on their involvement on the death of Shahani Imran Maungco, the EPD advised Daniels and Terense not to leave the country until the investigation on the case is over. Villiers assured De la Cruz that they would check with their own police agency whether Daniels and Terense have records of infraction with their laws.

“I told them that I would only file cases against Daniels and Terense once we were able to unearth sufficient evidence against them which they expressed concurrence,” said De la Cruz.

According to De la Cruz, Villiers conveyed to him that Daniels and Terense were not registered in their embassy. But Villiers quickly explained that registration with their embassy by their nationals here in the Philippines is not mandatory.

De la Cruz said he also told Villiers that they are strongly suspecting love triangle as the motive behind Maungco’s murder.

Superintendent Eduardo Villena, head of the EPD District Investigation and Detective Management Division claimed that housemaid Grace Libuna, of Calinog, Iloilo, could not be contacted anymore.

“We sent him a one-way airplane ticket for her to come to Manila to tell us all she knew about Maungco’s murder but it appears that she turned off her cellphone Monday night,” said Villena.

The EPD-DIDMD chief admitted that Libuna holds the key to the solution of the Maungco case.

Libuna disappeared from Daniels’ residence at 12 Narra Street, Valle Verde 3 in Barangay Ugong, Pasig City two Fridays ago, the same time driver, Andrew Manabat, 28, started smelling foul odor in the stockroom.    – Non Alquitran