SFI burglary remains unsolved

CEBU, Philippines - After a year since the alleged break-in at the office of the Sinulog Foundation Incorporated, the Cebu City Police Office remained clueless on the identity of the culprit who carted away P1.68 million cash.

City Intelligence Branch chief Romeo Santander said their investigation went back to scratch after the prosecutor’s office dismissed the case they earlier filed against security guard Joselyndon Jabagat.

“After the previous case was dismissed we went back from the beginning,” Santan-der said in a phone interview.

He said until now they are gathering new evidence to identify the person responsible in breaking into the SFI office at the Cebu City Sports Center in January last year.

Unidentified people barged into the SFI office and forcibly open the cash vault containing the P1.68 million cash. The amount included the P880,000 donation from the Cebu City Government;  P750,000 personal money of choreographer Victor Cuenco;  P7,000 bonus of the administrative officer of the Cebu City Sports Center; Sinulog ticket sales amounting to P8,000 and a digital camera worth P9,000 owned by the center’s cashier.

SFI executive director and CCSC manager Ricky Ballesteros discovered the alleged burglary a day after the Sinulog Grand Parade.

CCPO acting director Sr. Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr.  said he would detail personnel at the SFI office 24 hours during the Sinulog Grand Parade to avoid similar incident this year.

“But with regards to the safekeeping of the money ilaha (SFI) nga diskarte basta kami we are up to the security,” Natu-el said. — (FREEMAN)