DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 April) – Police investigators failed to obtain video footages inside the Camella Northpoint condominium where a couple was found dead on Sunday as the building’s CCTV cameras were not functioning, an official of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said on Wednesday.
During the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) press conference, Capt. Hazel Tuazon, DCPO spokesperson, said the lack of CCTV footage made it more difficult for investigators to identify the suspects responsible for the gruesome killing of Jeffrey Patac Predas and his girlfriend, Jennifer Delos Santos Chavez.
She said that investigators do not know who went in and out of the condominium building at the time of the incident, which could have helped in the investigation.
“If only there were CCTVs in that building, we would not have a difficult time. It would greatly help us in the investigation and in identifying the persons going in and out of that building at the time of the incident, and we could have determined if it happened in the evening or morning,” Tuazon said.
She said that despite the lack of CCTV footage, authorities are gathering testimonies from residents of the condominium building that could lead them to the identity of the suspects who killed the couple.
Tuazon said that establishments are required to install CCTV cameras, and non-compliance may result in the suspension or revocation of their business permits.
She said the police would send a report to the city government regarding the violation under its Amended CCTV Ordinance.
It is up to the local government to take necessary legal action against the establishment, Tuazon said.
Tuazon noted that police have two persons of interest who are currently cooperating in the investigation.
She said one of them, a resident of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, helped the female victim book the condominium unit.
Tuazon said the families of the victims arrived in the city last Monday and are helping the police.
She said that based on initial investigation, police are looking at “crime of passion” or “personal grudge” as the motive for the killing of the victims.
Chavez, a resident of Bacoor, Cavite, arrived in Davao around 11:00 a.m. on Saturday while her boyfriend, Predas, arrived around 3:00 p.m. of the same day.
The couple visited Davao to watch the concert of American rock band, We the Kings, at the SMX Convention Center on Sunday.
Around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, a 25-year-old call center agent, who is a resident of the same building, saw Predas with nine stab wounds on the ground outside the condominium unit.
At 10:15 p.m. of the same day, police discovered the body of Chavez inside their rented condominium unit on the third floor. Tuazon said the female victim also had stab wounds.
She said police are investigating if Predas was pushed out of the window from their rented unit.
She said police are doing their best to resolve the crime.
An autopsy was conducted on the victims, but the results were not yet available as of posting. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)