MANILA, Philippines (PNA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday it has a strong case against members of the notorious “Dominguez Group” tagged in the brutal kidnap-slaying of car trader Venson Evangelista. PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. cited material and testimonial evidence against members of the gang, led by Raymond Dominguez.
”We have witnesses and material evidence that will prove they have something to do with the Evangelista case,” Cruz said during a radio interview.
Police operatives raided on Friday a suspected safehouse of the carjacking group in Pampanga, where authorities recovered firearms and pieces of evidence like Evangelista’s alleged driver’s license and at least 15 pairs of plate numbers, among other items.
Cruz said police operatives are still conducting follow- up operations.
On Saturday, the PNP’s special investigation task group (SITG) headed by Chief Supt. Benito Estipona filed criminal charges against nine members of the Dominguez carjacking group.
Aside from Raymond Dominguez, also charged were his brother Roger, Alfred Mendiola, Ferdinand Parulan, one Joel, a certain Jayson and alias Rolly, who was tagged as the gunman in Evangelista’s killing. Two other suspects remained unidentified.
The PNP-SITG filed murder and carnapping charges against the nine suspects before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office.
Of those charged, Raymond Dominguez, Mendiola and Parula are the only ones under custody. Dominguez voluntarily sought police custody on Saturday, hours after the reported arrest of Mendiola and Parulan in Bulacan province.
Dominguez immediately denied any involvement in the Evangelista case.
Evangelista went missing on Jan. 14 after a supposed test drive of his Toyota Land Cruiser somewhere in Quezon City to a prospective buyer. His charred body was recovered four days later in Cabanatuan City.
Prior to Evangelista’s kidnap-slaying, another car trader, Emerson Lozano, along with his driver Ernane Sensil, was reported missing on Jan. 12 after meeting a prospective buyer of his Kia Carnival van also in Quezon City.
Two days later, the burned body of Sensil was recovered in La Paz, Tarlac. The charred body of Lozano, a son of lawyer Oliver Lozano, was discovered the following day in Porac, Pampanga.
Police authorities have expressed belief that the kidnap-slayings of Evangelista and Lozano were the handiwork of one group.
Manila Bulletin
