Shop owner’s kin points to helper as suspect in milk tea poisoning

Relatives of the late owner of the Ergo Cha milk tea shop were distressed that the shop owner's son is now considered by police as a suspect in the poisoning that killed his father and a customer last April.

In an interview with GMA News TV's Quick Response Team, the family's lawyer, Atty. Benedicto Buenaventura, pointed out that police investigators failed to look into the possible involvement of a store helper who may have had a motive to kill the shop owner William Abrigo.

"Nalulungkot po kami na na-file-an ng kaso si Lloyd [ang anak ni William]... kasi wala naman po silang malakas na ebidensya na nagpapatunay na si Lloyd ang may dala ng sinasabi nilang oxalic acid," explained Buenaventura.

Buenaventura added that CCTV footage referred to by the police did not show Lloyd bringing the oxalic acid into the tea shop.

"Hindi naimbestigahan masyado ng mga pulis iyong nangyari.... Iyong boy, hindi maganda ang performance. Laging lasing, laging tulog kapag nagdu-duty," Buenaventura said.

"May text messages kami na nagpapakita na si William Abrigo, tatanggalin na niya iyong boy," he added.

Buenaventura said the helper is now in hiding.



Police conclusions

Last April, customers Suzaine Dagohoy and Arnold Aydalla felt weak and fainted minutes after sipping a milk tea drink served them by Ergo Cha shop owner, William Abrigo.

Abrigo then sipped on the drink that he had prepared to find out what was wrong with the tea, poisoning himself as well.

The three were then rushed to a hospital but Abrigo and Dagohoy later died.

In a statement Monday, the Philippine National Police said that the victims had tested positive for oxalic acid, a  white-colored bleaching substance.

The Manila Police District also explained that they suspected the tea shop's owner, Lloyd, to be responsible for the poisonings given that he had "cleaned" the crime scene right after the incident, before authorities had a chance conduct an investigatation.

A report on GMA-7's "24 Oras" said that a closed circuit television footage showed Lloyd arriving at the shop on April 9 after visiting his father at the Ospital ng Sampaloc in Manila.

The MPD added that Lloyd Abrigo turned off the CCTV camera inside the shop before cleaning the crime scene for around 15 minutes.

"Kung iisipin natin, during that time, sinira na agad ni Lloyd ang crime scene natin. At the same time, siguro dapat nandoon siya sa ospital para doon sa kanyang Tatay. Pero ang unang niyang ginawa is to clean up the mess sa loob ng Ergo milk tea," MPD Chief Legal Supt. Dennis Wagas said.  

In the video, a shop employee can be seen bringing out a pail.

"'Iyong ipinatapon na balde, iyon siguro ang mga galing sa pinagtimplahan ng tatay. Kasi iyong lababo nila barado kaya iyong mga tubig doon sa balde nilalagay," MPD Homicide Chief C/Insp. Melchor Villar pointed out.

The MPD also found circumstantial evidence against the younger Abrigo, who is now facing double murder and frustrated murder charges.

In another security video that the MPD showed to media, Lloyd Abrigo went inside the Ergo Cha milk tea shop the night before the poisoning. He went inside past 8 p.m. and put a paper bag inside a drawer.

A few minutes later, he can be seen pouring a white powder into a glass while wearing gloves.

Lloyd's father was also inside the shop at the time. But the MPD believed that William Abrigo did not know what exactly the substance was.

The MPD also had four witnesses, including a shop employee, who could substantiate the police investigators' conclusions.

"Based sa testimony, based CCTV, at sa ating chemical tests, eh tuturo sa ating suspect si Lloyd Abrigo," MPD Director Chief Supt. Rolanda Nana said.

The MPD has declared the case closed. — Trisha Macas/NB/DVM/JJ GMA News