Court convicts 4 in gruesome 2013 robbery-slay of Kae Davantes
MANILA, Philippines — A local court on Friday convicted four men in the 2013 gruesome robbery-slay case of advertising executive Kae Davantes.
Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 253 found the following men guilty beyond reasonable doubt for robbery with homicide of Davantes, whose body was found under a bridge of Dasmariñas, Cavite on Sept. 7, 2013.
- Lloyd Benedict Enriquez
- Samuel Decimo
- Kelvin Jorek Evangelista
- Jomar Pepito
The four were sentenced to serve reclusion perpetua or of up to 40 years of imprisonment. The court also ordered them to pay jointly and severally the heirs of Davantes of P50,000 as death indemnity, P50,000 as moral damages and P25,000 as temperate damages.
Baser Manalang, one of the accused in the case, remains at large.
Former President Benigno Aquino III offered a P2-million reward for the capture of the suspects due to the brutality of Davantes’ death.
When her body was found, Davantes' mouth was gagged while her hands were tussled up behind her back with a seatbelt. She had a stab wound in her chest.
Diel’s testimony
Six men conspired in the robbery and eventual killing of Davantes.
One of the six, Reggie Diel, turned state witness in the case and testified on the events that happened in the wee hours of Sept. 7, 2013.
Diel attested that they took Davantes as she alighter her car and was about to enter her house.
He added that Pepito later called him to say that Davantes should be killed since she had seen the car, owned by Pepito, that they were also using.
"From the acts of all the accused and state witness Diel, there was clearly conspiracy," the ruling read.
The court said that while Diel failed to confirm who killed Davantes, “pinpointing the actual perpetrator is not necessary.”
Citing court jurisprudence, the court held: “Case law establishes that whenever homicide has been committed by reason of or on the occasion of the robbery, all those who took part as principals in the robbery will also be held guilty as principals of robbery with homicide although they did not take part in the homicide, unless it appears that they sought the killing.”
“The act of one was the act of all,” the ruling further read.
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