DRIVER TIED TO DEATH
NBI arrests a motorcycle driver as a suspect in call center agent’s robbery and murder last July 9
Who is really responsible for the death of 24-year-old call center agent and model Aireen Adolfo in Barangay Pulangbato?
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 arrested a habal-habal driver, who allegedly robbed and killed her.
Francisco "Digo" Capalaran Jr. was taken into custody last July 13 after a witness allegedly saw him with Adolfo on the night of July 9.
"When we went to Francisco's house, he was luckily there and we saw him without his T-shirt on. We noticed superficial wounds that would indicate that it was possibly inflicted during the time of the assault on the victim," Special Agent Arnel Pura said.
Dr. Rene Cam, NBI 7 chief medico-legal officer, said that the wounds were four to five days old, which fitted the time Adolfo was killed on the dawn of July 10.
"He also bore scratches in his arms and extremities,” Cam said.
Agents found a sachet of shabu from Capalaran when he was frisked. He later tested positive for drug use.
Pura said that an informant led them to the witness (name withheld for security reasons), who said she knows Capalaran because she's a regular customer of his habal-habal.
She said they often joked around but not during that time, hours prior to Adolfo's death.
“I chided him about his new passenger, who later turned out to be Adolfo, but he didn't respond,” the witness said in Cebuano.
"I remember the woman's legs and her shorts and the clothes that Digo wore. It kept on flashing on my mind and I was afraid that he would hurt me that's why I chose to break my silence," she said.
The NBI 7 also presented Capalaran's blue jeans, T-shirt and striped jacket.
"He was washing these but there are stains, which we suspect to be blood, that's why we'll send it to our Manila bureau for a test," Cam said.
Leah, the victim's mother and some relatives, went to the NBI 7 office, asking the latter to conduct a parallel probe.
She said she felt lighter with Capalaran's arrest.
"I'm almost convinced that he was the killer. I want the investigation to be over because I want justice for my daughter's death,” she said in Cebuano.
Atty. Emeterio Dongallo Jr. of NBI 7 said that since the police were the first responders on the scene, they requested for the Scene of the Crime Operatives' report.
"So that we can strengthen our case against him.
We respect their investigation but we are banking on the evidence that we collated. Hopefully, in the future, we can go in the same direction," he said.
Supt. Ryan Devaras, the Investigation and Detective Management chief of the Cebu City Police Office, said that they will continue their investigation against their main suspect, Sherwin "Jingle" Velasquez.
"We also respect the probe of the NBI 7 but we will still conduct a case buildup. But we haven't filed a case yet because our witnesses are still hesitant so there might be a possibility that we will close this case and turn it over to the NBI 7," he said.
He said that Capalaran's name popped up in their inquiry but only because the latter was attracted to Adolfo.