Father, son now ‘persons of interest’

CEBU, Philippines - The Special Investigation Task Group noted inconsistencies in the statements of the father and son, who found the skeletal remains of a police officer in Badian, and is now considering them as persons of interest.

Tanny Carteciano, his minor-aged son Jade and daughter Jennilyn, 21, were invited by SITG at Cebu Provincial Police Office headquarters to shed light on the case of Police Officer 1 Jimmy Jorge.

CPPO director Noel Gillamac said they interviewed Jade yesterday in the presence of a social worker and found several inconsistencies in his statements.

With this, the SITG decided to subject the boy to further examination.

“Ang SITG naka-decide nga i-turn over sa DSWD to undergo physical, psychological and mental examination kay ang iyang testimony is very crucial sa kasulbaran sa kamatayon ni PO1 Jorge,” Gillamac said, while withholding the information from the media.

Jennilyn, on the other hand, was made to answer why she took the police officer’s SIM card from his mobile phone. She allegedly took it in good faith.

She allegedly inserted the SIM Card to her mobile phone to check the numbers stored in PO1 Jorge’s phone and possibly contact his family.

“Akong gi-try if okay pa ba. Akong tan-awon if naa pa’y contact sa iyang pamilya, para makuan nako ang pangalan ug mga contacts sa pamilya. Gitan-aw nako kung okay pa ba ang SIM, pero di g’yud siya pwedi,” she said.

On the other hand, the police failed to interrogate the father who reportedly vanished from the headquarters after asking to go to the comfort room.

Gillamac said this has even raised their suspicion against Tanny, whose earlier statements were already doubtful.

Gillamac said they will invite the Cartecianos again to the headquarters for them to sign a waiver before they undergo polygraph test.

“We are doing this para naa’y katin-awan sa kaso ni PO1 Jorge nga nagtoo mi nga naa’y foul play,” he added.

Based on the initial investigation of the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 7, the crime scene had been disturbed, said Gillamac.

The CPPO director said the Cartecianos will face charges for obstruction of justice if they turn out to be telling lies.

Gillamac clarified that the Carteciano family, particularly Tanny and his son, are only considered as persons of interest and are not yet considered as suspects behind PO1 Jorge’s death.

Remains of Jorge, who was believed to be part of a cult, were found earlier this month in the mountain barangay of Santicon, Badian town.

Gillamac said they are inclined to believe that the police officer was killed, but they are not also discounting the possibility that he committed suicide. — (FREEMAN)