DCPO to families of missing persons: Stop social media rants, get affidavits

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Police still clueless on Bragas’ killers due to lack of witnesses

The Special Investigation Task Force (SITG) “Bragas“ admitted facing a blank wall in resolving the rape-slay case of 28-year-old Architect Vlanche Marie Bragas due to the lack of credible witnesses.

City Police Director Alberto Lupaz said on Wednesday that this is among the factors delaying the resolution of the case of Bragas.

“Kani nga kaso dili ni ingon na dali lang masolbad. First, in the absence of reliable witness. Sa pagkakaron basin adunay naka-witness pero basin nangahadlok. Dili nato sila mapugos na magwitness ug dili pud nato mapugos nga ipa-identify dayon,” Lupaz said during the AFP PNP Press Corps media briefing on Wednesday at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Lupaz is hoping that more individuals, who have the courage to make a statement and testify in court, will come out to help the task force in resolving the case.

“Ang ato lang nga naay mangisog ug muhatag ug statement ug ina-analyze nato ang ilahang statements nga valid ug naa pud courage to testify in court. In the absence of witness blanko mi kung kinsa ang nagbuhat. Nag-rely ta sa witnesses ug material evi- dence,” he said.

The SITG is relying on the statement of a lone witness who confirmed that there are three persons, including the victim, aboard the yellow “ongbak” (tricycle) when it passed by him/her.

Lupaz said the distance of the witness was only about two meters away from the yellow tricycle and saw three persons inside the vehicle: one male, the driver, and the victim.

“Katong initial na gihimo sa SITG nga naay tao nga nakakita nga dinha niagi sa iyaha ang ongbak, naa gyud nagsakay daan nga isa ug ang driver. Sa pagkuha nila sa victim, tulo sila nakasakay sa ombak. As of now ang confirmed, naay nakasakay daan isa na batanon ug ang driver na medyo edaran na ug didto pud nisakay si Bragas.

Tulo sila kabuok at that time na niagi sila sa tungod sa witness nga nakakita sa ilaha,” Lupaz said.

Bajaj model tricycle

Lupaz revealed that according to the investigation of the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TE), a reverse engineering (RE) Bajaj rickshaw was the model of the vehicle used by the suspect/s in picking up Bragas on the night of the murder.

FPOLICE, P10

Police in Davao City are the subject of criticism among Dabawenyos over recent incidents involving sudden disappearances of individuals and a rape-slay case.

In the midst of the community’s ire, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Colonel Alberto Lupaz challenged the families of the alleged missing persons to secure an affidavit and stop accusing the police and the National Bureau of Investigation-Davao (NBI-Davao) on social media.

This developed after reported “sudden disappearances” of two individuals in Davao City circulated online with families accusing the police and NBI-Davao as perpetrators due to alleged linked to the rape-slay case of 28-year-old Architect Vlanche Marie Bragas.

A certain Raymond Vicente posted on social media that on May 27, 2023, Renato Bayansao a.k.a. “Empoy,” a registered guide and resident of Calinan, Davao

City, was beaten and handcuffed without a warrant of arrest by individuals allegedly identified as personnel of the NBI-Davao for being identified as the suspect and driver of the yellow “ongbak” used in the rape-slay case of Bragas.

On May 29, 2023, reports said Police Station 3 Talomo had rescued a man who sought refuge at the Barangay Hall of Matina Pangi.

This after Brgy. Captain Benjamin T. Badon of Matina Pangi

FDCPO, P10