THE Mandaue City Council will invite city and regional police officials to discuss allegations of an attempted cover-up in the investigation on the murder of a call center supervisor.
“It has come to our attention that there are other interested parties outside the city who expressed interest and put pressure on the outcome of the case,†said Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna.
The relief yesterday of Chief Insp. Eddie Recamara as head of the Investigation and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB) boosted speculations the investigating team is under pressure to withhold their findings or stall the filing of the case.
Fortuna said they will invite Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, officer-in-charge of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), and Chief Supt. Ronald Roderos of the Police Regional Office to shed light on this allegation.
Fortuna also suggested that the mayor make representations with higher PNP officials. Fortuna chairs the council committee on police, fire and penology.
IDMB is the unit investigating the murder of Lynn Vi Ebarita. Their investigators filed the complaint against Jonnelle Enfectana, Ebarita’s friend.
When sought for reaction, Mayor Jonas Cortes said he will talk to Ualat.
Vic Ebarita, slain victim’s father, wrote to request City Councilor Diosdado Suico that Recamara be retained as IDMB chief while the investigation on the death of his daughter is ongoing and the other suspects are still at large.
“May we request therefore for the retention of Maj. Eddie Recamara in the Mandaue City Police Office because according to his colleagues, it is degrading and unhealthy for the teamwork that they developed in crime-solving,†the father said in his letter.
MCPO deputy city director for operations Bernard Tambauan said the city officials’ apprehension is wrong and unfounded.
He said investigators PO3 Protacio Tago and SPO1 Arnulfo Quichon Jr. are still handling the case and the new IDMB chief, Jason Capoy, is very capable.
Ebarita was stabbed 24 times and her body was stuffed in a garbage bag that was left at the back of a hotel room.
Counsel
Ebarita’s friend and officemate Enfectana was arrested after the police recovered the victim’s wallet in the laundry area of Enfectana’s boarding house.
Enfectana was arrested at 3:30 p.m. and brought to the police station past 6 p.m. In the interval, reporters saw Tambauan conferring with the suspect’s counsel inside a room adjacent to the suspect’s hospital room.
Tambauan said they were talking about the suspect making a confession. But the lawyer refused.
Tambauan said he did not intervene in the investigation. He said he just guided investigators since Recamara himself asked for his guidance before the case was filed.
Recamara’s transfer, as ordered by Ualat, is a promotion.
However, Recamara can intervene or assist in the investigation, since he originally handled the case.
Sun.Star called up Ualat for his reaction but was told he was in the middle of a meeting in Cordova.
A spokesperson for the suspect’s family admitted during a press conference that a politician from Eastern Samar sought his help to assist the family in dealing with the media. (OCP)
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