Court dismisses charges vs suspect in milk tea deaths

Charges against the sole respondent in the controversial milk tea case in Manila, which resulted in the death of two individuals were dismissed by the Manila Prosecutor’s office for insufficiency of evidence.

In a nine-page decision, Assistant City prosecutor Dennis E. Aguila recommended the dismissal of murder and frustrated murder charges against Lloyd Abrigo, the lone respondent in the case that occurred at the Ergo Cha milk tea store in Sampaloc, Manila last April.

The store was owned by his father, William.

An autopsy conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) revealed that based on samples taken from the blood and stomach of William and customer Suzaine Dagohoy, the two died from ingestion of oxalic acid.

The third victim who recuperated from poisoning is Dagohoy’s boyfriend, Arnold Aydalla,

In the decision, Aguila said that the testimony of the witnesses is still circumstantial evidence since there was no direct proof indicating that the younger Abrigo was the actual perpetrator.

The respondent was able to clear the complainants’ suspicion when explained that what he brought in the store on the night of April 8, 2015, were merely empty bottles and candies placed inside a brown paper bag.

Also, the concoction he prepared at that time was mint oolong tea for personal consumption.

The prosecutor also said it is hardly believable that the respondent had the motive to injure Aydalla or kill Dagohoy as he did not know them.

The prosecutor’s office also dropped the possibility of charging Lloyd with reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and physical injury because of the absence of proof that he prepared the milk tea and that it was not shown that he participated in the preparation of the drink.

In addition, he was also not the one who served the milk tea to the victims.

Last April 9, Dagohoy and Aydalla purchased and drank Hokkaido milk tea drink from Ergo Cha milk tea store which was mixed and served by the elder Abrigo.

Arnold and Suzaine tasted the milk tea concoction but the former immediately spat it due to its unpleasant taste.

Suzaine returned the concoction to Abrigo who proceeded to making another cup of the same drink. Moments later, video footage from the closed-ciruit television (CCTV) camera outside the store showed Suzaine losing consciousness with Arnold assisting her as she fell to the ground. Later, Arnold also lost consciousness outside the store.

Meanwhile, the CCTV camera inside the store captured elder Abrigo himself falling onto the ground and losing consciousness.

Policemen filed two counts of murder and frustrated murder against the younger Abrigo. (Jenny F. Manongdo)