Ex-AFP chief loses $7,000 to burglars

Not even a former Armed Forces chief was spared by robbers over the long Holy Week holiday.

Retired Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva lost $7,000 in cash — about P381,360 at yesterday’s exchange rate — to burglars who broke into his house at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City while he was away spending the Lenten break with his family over the weekend.

Police said Villanueva, who was AFP chief during the term of deposed President Joseph Estrada, returned to his quarters on Jusmag street last Saturday morning only to discover that the cash, including $7,000 in savings he had kept inside a vault in their room, was gone.

Police Officer 2 Ehron Balauat of the Taguig police said that only the family’s housemaid, identified as Elena Ruiz, 50, was left to guard the house when the Villanueva family left for Tagaytay City last March 24.

"We did not see any forcible entry in the house when we responded so we are eyeing the maid as the suspect," Balauat said in a phone interview.

But the maid has denied the allegations, saying the culprit was an intruder who forcibly entered the house while she was asleep on the night of Good Friday.

Ruiz, who has been serving the family for over a year, told police she was surprised to wake up to find the house lights turned off when she had left them on before going to sleep.

She also claimed the gate of the house was open when she woke up. She said there had never been a night when she forgot to lock the gate and the door.

Although no cash was recovered from Ruiz’s things, Balauat said she was immediately subjected to fingerprint examination to determine her involvement, if any, in the theft.

"We are also looking into the possibility that she had a cohort, who probably took and kept the money," added Balauat.

He said they would wait for the results of the fingerprinting before charges of qualified theft are filed against Ruiz.