Cops face blank wall on P1.5-M burglary at RP consulate in Dubai

MANILA, Philippines - No suspects have been found yet on the reported P1.5-million burglary at the Philippine Consulate in Dubai, according to an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“It is still being investigated by the police and the DFA, but there are no conclusions yet," Dubai Consul General Renato Valeriano told GMANews.TV in an interview on Tuesday.

According to reports, thieves broke into the consulate’s financial officer’s office last September 5 and took money and passport stored in a safe worth about Dh45, 000 or P1.5 million.

The stolen money was reportedly part of the consulate’s official funds, including fees unpaid for consular services, such as renewal of passports, and money for running the office.

Valeriano said that “as of the moment," the police had no specific leads to the crime. “Gusto ng pulis ituloy lang ang (The police just want to continue the) investigations."

As to speculations that the crime was an inside job involving Filipino consulate driver Alberto Ricafrente and finance officer Evelyn Frutas, the consul general said the DFA had not ruled out anything.

According to news reports, Ricafrente was recently arrested by the police for being an illegal immigrant who had been on the run for over 1,600 days.

“That is another matter, he (Ricafrente) has unpaid debts," said Valeriano.

A report from the Xpress said the driver came to the consulate more than a year ago and had allegedly been involved in a feud over money among the staff of the consulate.

As to the allegations against Frutas, Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Libran Cabactulan told Xpress that he found it “highly suspicious" that the finance officer had left the vault’s key and combination numbers written on a piece of paper in her office on the night the money was stolen.

“We need to determine if there was gross negligence (on the part of concerned consulate officials in Dubai) that led to this crime," Cabactulan told Xpress.

Valeriano said the finance officer was still being investigated.

Meanwhile, Gulf News said a 24-hour security was observed at the consulate’s premises after the burglary incident. - GMANews.TV

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