Miriam wants NBI to initiate probe on aunt's murder
Ilongga Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago wants the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to take charge the conduct of an investigation on the death of her aunt Adelina Palma-Bermejo Thursday last week.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said the senator requested the assistance of his office for the intervention of the NBI in solving the murder of her aunt. The senator preferred the bureau to handle the case.
The senator's request for an NBI-initiated probe was acted upon by the chief executive though the police have already made their own investigation from the time the victim's bloodied body was discovered morning of August 28, 2008.
The chief executive did not elaborate on why the senator wants a separate probe and preferred the NBI to handle the case.
It was learned that the city police is set to file a case early next week and hoping to get a favorable response from the court and could lead to the issuance of the warrant of arrest for the suspect.
The victim, who is the younger sister of Senator Santiago' mother Dimpna bore several fatal stab wounds. She was rushed by the responding authorities to the hospital but died after a few minutes. The Police Crime Laboratory conducted an autopsy on the victim' body.
The victim, a registered nurse and a US pensioner lives alone in her house at Kahirup Village, Barangay Cubay, Jaro. Her neighbors suspect she knew her assailants as she allowed the suspect to enter her house.
Before the victim's bloodied body was discovered by her sister Rose, they heard a man identifying himself as Robert when the latter knocked on the door.
However, immediate members of her family immediately countered the information confirming there are members of their family named as Robert and it is impossible for them to have perpetrated the murder.