By Jennifer P. Rendon
Police have yet to identify the suspects in the killing of a 36-year businesswoman whose body was found inside a sports utility vehicle (SUV) afternoon of Oct 26, 2021 in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.
Major Raymond Celoso, Sta. Barbara police chief, said they are still gathering more statements and evidence that could lead to the identification of Claire Diergos’ killer.
The post-mortem examination on Diergos’ remains indicated that 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.
She also suffered 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 her stomach content, there was still around 200ml of food left, “which means that she digested food just two hours before she was killed,” he added.
Based on the state of the cadaver, she was already dead for around two days.
“Her face and body got bloated easily because her body was kept in a car that was exposed to heat,” he said explaining that the radiation from the sun was absorbed and trapped inside the car, which could cause the temperature to rise.
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.
Celoso confirmed that Scene of the Crime Operatives probed her house at Deca Homes in Pavia town.
“After killing her, I think it’s unlikely that the killer went back to her home and got the comforter to wrap her up,” he said.
Diergos was in her sleeping attire without a brassiere.
Based on the initial findings of crime scene probers, blood spatter was found in the victim’s bed linens inside her room. Investigators also noticed remnants of blood that were wiped inside the house.
LAST SEEN ALIVE
Contrary to initial police reports, Diergos’ SUV was not abandoned in the area since Oct 22. Instead, residents claimed to have frequently seen the vehicle parked on the same spot.
A resident even claimed to have seen her, describing the victim’s blonde-colored hair, along with another man more than a day prior to the discovery of her body.
Police also interviewed the victim’s house help, Rodelyn Sumbong who was considered a person of interest in the case, although she was released from police custody.
Sumbong started working for Diergos on Oct 24.
The victim and a female friend allegedly fetched Sumbong at the Tagbac Terminal in Jaro, Iloilo City around 4:30 p.m.
They went to Oton, Iloilo to have dinner and later dropped Diergos’ friend at the same area where she lived.
They arrived at Deca Homes around 8 p.m. Sunday.
Sumbong went to sleep while Diergos washed her child. She said she thought that Diergos went to her hometown in Buenavista, Guimaras.
The mother of Sumbong’s live-in partner claimed that the helper even called her up because she had a problem operating the gas stove.
Sumbong also aired her concern how to feed Diergos’ 3-year-old child. She sent a text message to Diergos but got no reply.
Sumbong claimed that she didn’t notice her employer leave their house.
When she woke up Monday, Diergos’ daughter was still sleeping. When she checked the victim’s room, she saw a blood-stained blanket but the rest of the room was spotless.
When she tried to retrieve the blanket, the child allegedly told her “don’t touch.”
Celoso said they got information that the victim’s car went out of the subdivision around 4:20 a.m. Monday.
But the security guards could not confirm if she was the driving or was with a companion.
Celoso said they would also check if the laceration on the child’s leg has anything to do with what happened to her mother.
Police could not say if Diergos has a boyfriend.
Her family claimed that Diergos is secretive and did not talk about her personal relationships.
The eldest in a brood of six, the victim was into the distributorship of food supplements.
She bought her vehicle from former San Dionisio Mayor Peter Paul Lopez on an installment basis.
Lopez claimed that Diergos never missed in paying her dues.
REWARD
A businessman and Diergos’ friend announced on Tuesday that they would be offering a P300,000 reward for any information leading to the identification of the suspect.
Carlo Hubo said that he and their common friends pooled the reward to hasten the resolution of the case. He was particularly referring to the man last seen with the victim.
