DIERGOS CASE UPDATE: Probe team ready to file raps with or without phone info

By Jennifer P. Rendon

It was on Nov 20, 2021 when cyber warrants were issued to both Smart Communications, Inc. and Globe Telecom, Inc. as part of the ongoing investigation on the killing of businesswoman Claire Diergos.

A few days later, Smart responded and gave the police access to Diergos’s phone records.

Unfortunately, her two Smart mobile numbers, which were part of the three mobile numbers identified in the cyber warrant, did not yield calls nor SMS (short message service) or text messages from Oct 1 to 26, 2021.

Police were hoping to get information from Diergos’ phone numbers after family members claimed she was using it to communicate with them.

Eleven days have passed but the Special Investigation Team (SIT) Diergos said Globe has not given them the access to her text or call logs, if there were any.

“One of our investigators went there yesterday (December 1) but we still got the same feedback: they are still waiting for a response from their head office,” Senior Master Sergeant Francisco Lindero, Jr., SIT spokesperson, said.

The cyber warrant issued by the court provided the time frame on when the telecommunications companies should respond to the team’s request, Lindero said.

“We might talk on this and discuss if the delay is reasonable or not. We consider the possibility of going back to court again to compel Globe into responding to our query,” he said.

Despite that, the team has met with legal experts on Thursday to present the case folders.

“As far as the SIT is concerned, we have strong circumstantial evidence that could stand in court,” he said.

Still, Lindero said they wanted to meet with the legal experts to weigh on other judicial considerations.

“Based on the evidence, we have identified the suspects and the motives on why Claire was killed,” he said.

Lindero did not elaborate.

Aside from the Globe text and call logs, the SIT is also waiting for the results of the DNA test on the blood in a piece of tissue paper found inside Diergos’ vehicle.

“It was not the victim’s blood. But the DNA is being cross matched with her fingernail cuttings and hair strands found on the crime scene,” he said.

The body of 36-year-old Diergos was found inside a sports utility vehicle (SUV) afternoon of Oct 26 in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

She died due to two stab injuries and an incise wound on her neck. She also suffered two hesitation, or tentative, stab wounds on her left hand, specifically on her palm, and two incise wounds on her right thumb.

Investigators also found scalp hematoma on the left side of her head and another hematoma on her right thigh.