Police to ask 3 scavengers if ‘more jewelry’ was found

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

MANDAUE City police officials will be inviting again the three scavengers who found jewelry in the city’s dumpsite two weeks ago.

As suspicions that more jewelry may have been found in the Umapad dumpsite linger, Insp. Ramil Morpus of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) Theft and Robbery Section said yesterday they will be meeting with scavengers Rodrigo Corta, Antonio Quizon and Eda Montecalvo to clarify the matter.

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Morpus said he expects the three scavengers to come to MCPO headquarters today.

The police chief is also considering the possibility that other scavengers may have taken some of the items and kept these for themselves.

He found out that Montecalvo, who recovered one of the gold bracelets, has not returned to the city’s dumpsite.

Not returned

Morpus said they had tried to locate Montecalvo, 24, in her house in Barangay Paknaan, but she apparently had left and has not returned since the items were recovered last week.

Earlier, Morpus got suspicious because of inconsistencies in Montecalvo’s statements.

Montecalvo allegedly claimed she sold the gold bracelet for P15,000 but did not name the person she sold it to. She also reportedly admitted selling a gold watch, but failed to reveal the amount.

Morpus said that he and his team are also investigating the possibility that some bankbooks and other documents allegedly belonging to businessman Vicente Tan were thrown in the Umapad dumpsite.

Two weeks ago, jewelry believed to amounting to P2 million were allegedly found by Corta, Quizon and Montecalvo in the dumpsite.

But a week later, police received information from Barangay Cabancalan Chief Martin Cosido regarding the items’ whereabouts.

When police led by Morpus sought the three out, Corta and Quizon turned over their share of the items.