Monique Roa, the daughter of former assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro, discusses the family’s views on the progress of the case in an interview with CDN Digital Columnist and Lawyer Ruphil Bañoc over DYHP, February 2./ PHOTO COURTESY OF DYHP
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The family of former assistant Cebu City prosecutor Mary Ann Castro expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of the case after investigators told them that they still had no lead, and had not narrowed down all the possible angles two weeks since Castro’s death.
“Dili gyud (satisfied) kay it’s been 14 days and there are no leads,” said Monique Roa, Castro’s daughter, during an interview with Cebu Daily News Digital columnist and lawyer Ruphil Bañoc for Straight to the Point over DYHP, Saturday morning (February 2).
According to Roa, they haven’t obtained any closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage that showed the “very crucial moment” when the gunman, and possibly his accomplices, released five bullets and shot them towards the driver’s window of Castro’s yellow, Nissan Juke.
Read more: Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro shot, killed in Cebu City
“The NBI – 7 (National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas) has already acquired several CCTV footages. I have no definite number as to how many… but there’s no CCTV footage of that crucial moment, after she left Ayala that night,” said Roa.
She added that the dashcam installed on her mother’s car had no more recordings of the events that time, and the days before it.
“The dashcam footage sa January 17, and prior to that, wala na siya’y sulod. We don’t know what happened to it. Kasi we’re hoping (for it) to identify the assailants kasi back and front man to siya (the dashcam),” said Roa.
Read more: NBI-7 begins investigating Fiscal Mary Ann Castro’s death
She also said the dashcam, together with Castro’s ill-fated car, was under the custody of the police until the family claimed it last Thursday, which also marked the second week since the crime occurred.
“We don’t know what happened to it. But I understand that my mother always records her travels through her dashcam. I am not certain whether the dashcam regularly erases itself, only that CCTV footage has been known to have that feature and it’s possible the dashcam might have it, too. But it’s curious that January 18 footage which was also taped more than a week ago is still there,” she added.
Aside from Castro’s car and its dashcam, Roa said they were also able to get the prosecutor’s planner and cellphone, the latter of which contained only “regular messages” from friends and family.
Read more: NBI-7 looks into cases handled by slain prosecutor Mary Ann Castro
Nevertheless, Roa added they would be turning over the cellphone to NBI – 7 for further examination.
“Her cellphone contained regular messages when we viewed it. But we are willing to turn it over to NBI – 7,” she said.
Castro was buried in a private funeral with her relatives last January 26 in Clarin town of Misamis Occidental in Mindanao./dbs