By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The police are still suspicious of the claims made by former Negros Occidental’s Isabela municipal treasurer Neneth Escarda, after her home was burglarized last January 21.

A total of P3.8 million in bank checks, and cash amounting to P2.6 million were carted away by burglars.

However, police are still not convinced that a robbery took place, and are also highly suspicious as to why Escarda was keeping that large amount of money in her home in Bacolod City’s Barangay Taculing.

Police Station 6 commander, Captain Dax Santillan said there were several irregularities in Escarda’s statement, such as the recovered closed-circuit television footage near Escarda’s house, wherein there were no people observed to have entered the official’s home between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. of January 21.

Escarda’s eight dogs were observed not barking during that time, which would have been the evidence that several unidentified individuals were now inside and a burglary was now taking place.

Investigators also noticed that the area where the money and bank checks were stored was not ransacked.

Due to these irregularities, Santillan said they are finding it difficult to prove that a robbery had taken place in the victim’s house.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson commented that the provincial government will investigate the incident.

“I have already received the report of that incident. Of course, that is answerable and they have to explain what happened to the said money,” Lacson said.

Earlier, Isabela town Mayor Irene Montilla spoke to provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz and had a new municipal treasurer from the provincial government replace Escarda while an investigation is ongoing.

The investigation is now being conducted by the Provincial Legal Office, while the Commission on Audit is handling the auditing process to find out exactly the real amount of the missing money./DGB, WDJ