PNP says there’s strong case vs ‘Dominguez Group’

Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday that it has strong case against members of the notorious "Dominguez Group" tagged brutal kidnap-murder of car dealer Venson Evangelista.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent. Agrimero Cruz Jr. cited physical evidence and testimony against members of the band, led by Raimundo Dominguez.

"We have witnesses and evidence to prove that they have something to do with the case Evangelista," Cruz said during a radio interview.

Police on Friday raided suspected safe house the cooperative is a group of carjacking Pampanga, where authorities recovered weapons and evidence that the alleged driving Evangelista and at least 15 pairs of number plates, among other items.

Cruz said police are still in follow-up operations.

On Saturday, the PNP Special Working Group Research (SITG) headed by Chief Superintendent. Benito Estipona filed criminal charges against nine members of the Dominguez carjacking.

Apart from Raymond Dominguez, also were charged with his brother, Roger Alfredo Mendiola, Fernando Parula a Joel, an alias Jayson and Rolly, which was labeled as the shooter in the murder Evangelista. Two other suspects were not identified.

Sitges The PNP filed charges against murder and carnapping the nine suspects before the Quezon City prosecutor.

Of the defendants, Raymond Dominguez, Parula Mendiola and sole custody. Dominguez voluntarily sought police custody on Saturday, hours after the arrest of Mendiola and reported in the province of Bulacan Parul.

Dominguez immediately denied any involvement in the case of Evans.

Evangelista has disappeared Jan. 14 after an alleged road test of Toyota Land Cruiser, somewhere in Quezon City to a potential buyer. His charred body was found four days later in the city of Cabanatuan.

Before the kidnapping-murder of Evangelista, another car dealer, Lozano Emerson, with his driver SENSIL Ernani, was reported missing Jan. 12 after meeting with a potential buyer of his truck Kia Carnival also in Quezon City.

Two days later the body was burned SenSil recovered in La Paz, Tarlac. The charred body Lozano, a son of the lawyer Oliver Lozano, was discovered the next day in Porac, Pampanga.

The police authorities have expressed their belief that the abduction-murder of Evangelista and Lozano was a craft group.

SC Acquits Hubert Webb in Vizconde Massacre Case

The Supreme Court today acquitted former senator’s son Hubert Webb and six others in connection with the celebrated Vizconde massacre case which happened in 1991.

“The prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused,” court administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said.

Marquez said seven justices who voted for the acquittal are questioning the quality of the prosecution’s main witness.

“Jessica Alfaro is an NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) agent, not really an eye witness,” Marquez said.

“There were also suspicious details showing inherent inconsistencies, all corroboration cannot be relied on…In all, there is reasonable and lingering doubt on the guilt of the accused,” Marquez said.

The court also acquitted Antonio Lejano II, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Hospicio “Pyke” Fernande convicted for the 1991 murders.

Marquez said Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura who were never arrested and have been at large are not part of the acquittal.

“No proceedings were held against them,” Marquez said.

The high court ordered the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to release all the accused as soon as possible.

He added that Biong, who was convicted as an accessory to the crime, is also acquitted because he was specifically pointed by the government witness as the one who allegedly covered the tracks of Webb’s group.

No motion for reconsideration can be filed.

"No MR can be filed otherwise it is tantamount to double jeopardy."