Police investigate three motives in Claire’s death

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Police investigators are looking into three possible motives behind the killing of businesswoman Claire Diergos.

Major Raymond Celoso, Sta. Barbara police chief, enumerated these motives as revenge, jealousy, and robbery.

He did not elaborate to avoid compromising the ongoing investigation.

Given the number of angles the police are looking into, several persons are also considered persons of interest. Again, Celoso declined to elaborate.

He claimed, though, that two or more suspects may have killed Diergos.

Celoso is also not discounting the possibility that the mastermind was not one of the killers, hinting at the probability that they were hired.

There were also indications that the killers did some things to mislead investigators. Again, Celoso did not provide details.

Police already gathered footages from at least 15 CCTV cameras – 7 are with Sta. Barbara police and eight with Pavia.

Celoso said they are waiting for more footages once owners approve their release.

Based on the gathered footages, Diergos’ sports utility vehicle (SUV) went out of Deca Homes in Barangay Hibao-an, Pavia around 4:20 a.m.

It exited at a shortcut road leading to Barangay Balabag, Sta Barbara. It then passed through the villages of Hibao-an (Sta. Barbara), Buyo, Tagsing, a portion of Pal-ahgon, and Balibagan Este before reaching Inangayan, where her vehicle was later found with her body inside.

Celoso said they have yet to dissect the information of a Mitsubishi Pajero seen at some areas where her vehicle also passed by.

Celoso said they are around 50 percent done in their investigation.

“And we’re bent on solving this case to give justice to Claire and her loved ones,” Celoso said.

On Thursday, police presumed that Diergos may have been killed inside her own home.

It is likely that Diergos was killed between 11 p.m. Sunday (Oct 24) and 1 a.m. Monday the post-mortem examination result suggested.

Based on her stomach content, which had around 200ml of food left, “means that she digested food just two hours before she was killed.”

It is also possible that she was already dead when her car left the subdivision around 4:20 a.m. Monday, based on security camera footages gathered by the police.

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

She succumbed to two stab injuries and an incise or slash 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 in her right thigh.

“Her head could have been struck or got hit while struggling while the hematoma on her thigh could be a sign that she was forcefully held on that part,” Celoso said.

Based on the state of the cadaver, she was already dead for around two days.

Diergos was wrapped in a comforter and some clothes and was laid down on the second row seat of her Mitsubishi Montero Sport (license plate WRQ-846) which was parked at Barangay Inangayan.

As there was no blood splatter inside the victim’s vehicle, it was also likely that she was killed elsewhere.

Pillows, which were believed to be that of Diergos, were also found in a river near Inangayan.

A witness also claimed to have seen a man and woman (not Diergos) intensely talking near her vehicle prior to the discovery of the body.