Execs undergo lie test in P1.7M heist
Saturday, January 21, 2012
SINULOG Foundation inc. (SFI) executive director Ricky Ballesteros and Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) executive director Eldibrando Velasquez underwent a lie detector test at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 yesterday as police continue its investigation into the Sinulog Foundation robbery.
Ballesteros and Velasquez said they agreed to undergo the polygraph test to prove their innocence.
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Ballesteros asked security guards at CCSC to undergo the same test.
Unidentified persons took P1.7 million kept inside the CCSC office last Jan. 16. the amount included the P880,000, which City Hall gave the SFI as refund for the financial assistance that Sinulog organizers gave out-of-town contingents in the grand parade.
Breakdown
It also included the P750,000 of a choreographer, which was intended as talent fees for one of the contingents in the Sinulog grand parade.
Taken, as well, were the P7,000 bonus of CCSC’s administrative officer Helen Talisik, P10,000 in petty cash, CCSC’s ticket sales of P8,000 and a digital camera worth P9,000.
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said he believes the real perpetrator remains at large and has planted evidence to mislead the police investigation.
The police found two bolt cutters at the crime scene but these were not used during the burglary.
Buenafe said a crow bar was the only tool the suspect used, which was more than enough to remove the door of the vault inside the CCSC office.
Ballesteros admitted to reporters he got “scared” when he underwent the polygraph test for the first time.
Velasquez said he believed his polygraph test went smoothly. “I felt nothing,” he added.
He said he hoped the test will help clear his name.
Assistant City Prosecutor Gandhi Truya said Ballesteros’ affidavit confirmed the loss of P1.7 million but did not identify security guard Joselyndon Jabagat as the one who stole the money.
Jabagat was arrested by the police on suspicion he was involved in theft. the security guard denied the allegation.
Cebu City Police Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) Chief Rolando Pinili said it would be up to the court to decide to make Jabagat undergo a polygraph test or not.
Buenafe said earlier there were several inconsistencies in the declaration of the lost money and property.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on January 21, 2012.
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