Tans: Bank books, titles also missing

CEBU, Philippines - The family that is claiming ownership of the pieces of jewelry that were recovered from a dumpsite in Umapad, Mandaue City said that there are more valuables missing from their possession and are asking the scavengers to turn them over.

Lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna, acting on behalf of the family of Vicente Hante Tan, said that the family also lost copies of land titles and bank books.

They also believe that more pieces of jewelry were found, but those who have them have not turned them over to the authorities.

“We are thinking that naa pa’y laing jewelry nakit-an but wala gi-turn over tanan so we are appealing to those who found them or to the scavengers na ipauli lang unta,” dela Cerna told The FREEMAN.

He said the Tan family will not file any legal action against those who choose to just turn over the remaining jewelry. In fact, they will help them financially by giving them a share based of the value of the items, he said.

Recovered were the two big bracelets, two rings, one of which was a class ring owned by Vicente, a necklace with pendant and a receipt of a bracelet pawned for P127,000.

The scavengers also turned over the P36,500 that was left of the P127,000.

Once the 36,500 cash will be returned to the family, Tan plans to give the money to the three scavengers as way of thanking them.

De la Cerna said the family later realized that they might have also lost copies of land titles and bank books which they may have placed inside an old cabinet.

Tan is 83 years old and wheelchair-bound. He suffers from memory loss due to a brain surgery.

The cabinet, de la Cerna said, was burned at the compound of Inday Dried Mangoes owned by the family in Barangay Cabangcalan as it was infested with termites.

After the cabinet was burned, the debris were put inside a sack along with other garbage from the compound, said de la Cerna.

   “Wala nag-apas ang pamilya sa kwarta. It’s because of the sentimental value,” the lawyer said.

No Proof Yet

The lawyer also claimed that the family has not yet come up with the requisite proof of ownership to claim the jewelry as they do not anymore have the receipts for their purchase.

The city government of Mandaue City, who now has custody of the recovered jewelry, has required from them receipts or photos of the owners wearing the items.

The lawyer said such proof is hard to produce especially the receipts as these may have burned with the cabinet.

De la Cerna is, however, hopeful that they can present such before the February 4 deadline that was given to them by the city government.

“We’re very hopeful but we can only do so much as to convince them to turn over all the jewelry,” he said.

The items will be released to the claimant only after six months if they fail to show proof on or before the deadline. Police shall check the validity of such proof.

Last Friday, police turned over the pieces of jewelry to Mayor Jonas Cortes.

De la Cerna went to the Mandaue City Hall to claim the jewelry presenting an affidavit of ownership, which the city legal officer said was not enough.

MORE PIECES

The Mandaue City Police Office agrees that there could be more pieces of jewelry that have not been turned over.

Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) chief Insp. Ramil Morpos said that they believe that there are more pieces of jewelry that need to be recovered.

He said that Cabangcalan Barangay Captain Regidor Cosido told them that there were about P2 million worth of jewelry, but what were recovered were not worth that amount.

Morpos said that they suspect that some of the scavengers in the area are not telling them what they know considering that it was only five days later when the jewelry find came to light.

The scavengers found the pieces of jewelry from the garbage on January 12, but it was only on the 17th when the police were alerted.

He also said that Edah Montecalvo, who reported found a bracelet and a Rado watch that she sold for P15,000, could not anymore be located.

He also noted that the other scavengers have suddenly become uncooperative.

The police are now trying to locate Montecalvo, because they found some inconsistencies in her statements. 

Morpos said that it was hard for them to believe that Montecalvo cannot recognize the person who she sold the bracelet and the watch to because she was paid in two installments.

She said that she was at first paid P5,000 and then days after she was given P10,000.

Earlier, Montecalvo said that she sold the said watch and bracelet to a passing scrap buyer in the area, but the police said later learned that she sold the said jewelry to a former city hall worker, who was assigned at the dumpsite. 

Police said that they have already identified the person but when they contacted him, he only told the police that he was out of town and denied that such items were sold to him. — /NLQ - (THE FREEMAN)