ErgoCha owner’s son charged with murder for milk tea deaths


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This is the latest twist in the tragic case.

“The Manila Police District (MPD) yesterday filed murder and frustrated murder charges before the Manila Prosecutor’s Office against Lloyd Abrigo, the son of William Abrigo, the owner of ErgoCha shop at  584 Bustillos Street in Sampaloc Manila,” reports Aie Balagtas See in The Philippine Star.

William and customer Suzaine Dagohoy died on Apr 9, just minutes after drinking the Hokaidou (as spelled in the shop’s tarpaulin ad) milk tea variant.

READ: 2 dead from alleged milk tea poisoning in Manila

The report recalled: “Dagohoy and her boyfriend, Arnold Aydalla, ordered milk tea from William, who made the drink himself. Aydalla tasted the drink and vomited, prompting Dagohoy to taste it. She immediately felt ill. Worried, William tasted the milk tea for himself. In five minutes, both Abrigo and Dagohoy fainted. Aydalla experienced dizziness. All three were rushed to the Ospital ng Sampaloc, but Dagohoy and William were declared dead on arrival. Aydalla survived.”

Lloyd’s murder charges are for the deaths of William and Dagohoy, while the furstrated murder charge is for what happened to Aydalla.

The report further revealed that “three sources said MPD investigators filed the case against Abrigo after the Philippine National Police, which conducted a second autopsy on William and Dagohoy, found poison in the victims’ remains.”

Early in the case, Abrigo denied the allegation of their helper that he brought some type of “smelly liquid” or “suspected chemical” to the store the night before the alleged poisoning happened. The helper even claimed that it was the second time that Lloyd allegedly brought “something that smelled of bleach” to the milk tea shop.

According to the Lloyd claimed that he “only mixed oolong tea in the beverage and that the only thing he asked from the helper was tap water.”

However, police said the testimony of another helper bolstered the case against Lloyd.

The report further noted: “The MPD said the second helper corroborated the first helper’s statement that after William and Dagohoy were rushed to the hospital, Abrigo ordered one of them to go back to the store and clean the pitcher that contained the milk tea.”

Photo: Zhander Cayabyab, dzMM (Twitter)

 




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