Lawyer, judge lose P3.4 M to burglars

A lawyer and a trial court judge fell victim to burglars who broke into their house in Quezon City during the holidays.

A police report stated lawyer Teodorico Fernandez and his wife, Judge Myra Fernandez of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18, lost valuables worth more than P3.4 million because of the break-in at their house in Barangay Roxas.

The stolen items included four men’s wristwatches worth P1.16 million; two men’s bracelets worth P400,000; pieces of jewelry worth P1.7 million; a .45 caliber handgun worth P100,000; and two cellular phones worth P46,000.

According to the couple, the incident happened between 1 p.m. on Dec. 26 and 12:22 a.m. on Dec. 31, when they were on vacation out of town.

An investigation was initially conducted by the Quezon City Police District-Station 10 before it was eventually turned over to the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU). During the initial probe, policemen did not see any sign of forcible entry into the house.

Superintendent Antonio Yarra of the QCPD-CIDU said it was “very unusual” that there was no sign of forced entry if it was indeed a case of burglary.

He said they will find out whether anyone, such as a house helper, was left behind at the residence when the family was out on vacation.    – Reinir Padua