Female barangay chief arrested over slay case

Police arrested a lady barangay captain, who has been tagged as the mastermind in the slaying of a son of Manila Assistant City Prosecutor Domingo Orda Jr. in Parañaque City two years ago.

Lawmen said Ligaya Santos, chairwoman of Barangay 659-A in Manila was apprehended by operatives of the Police Community Precinct 3 of the Parañaque police by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Raul de Leon of Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 258.

Santos is allegedly the brains behind in the killing of Francis Orda on April 20, 2001.

Her four companions, identified as Jun Ray Soriano, Rolly Tunion, Christopher Castillo and Girlie Castillo, have been charged in court.

Santos denied the charges, insisting she was never part of any plot to murder anyone.

According to the elder Orda, Santos with at least 15 companions, riddled his son’s car with bullets in an ambush on Saudi street in Parañaque, thinking he was on board.

Prior to the ambush, the father said, his other son, Dale, was also attacked by a group of men on Aroceros street, near the Manila City Hall. His son survived but suffered gunshot wounds in the body.

"Francis was on his way home from the hospital where Dale was confined when he was ambushed and killed. Witnesses saw Santos and his kagawad as among those who attacked my son," the prosecutor told The STAR in a telephone interview.

Orda claimed Santos and her "men" has been pestering his family since 1996. He suspected that the grudge started when his family started to complain against her going to one of their establishments without paying the bill.

"Santos’ men even hit my wife with a rattan stick in one instance, which prompted us to file physical injury charges against them," he added.

Orda said his family has had difficulty going after Santos, whom he claimed was influential and has connections with the Manila police.

The Parañaque court earlier ordered Santos’ arrest but the suspect, through her lawyers was able to have the arrest order lifted, prompting the victim’s father to elevate the case to the Court of Appeals.

"Fortunately, the CA ruled in our favor by ordering the arrest of Santos," Orda said.