Son of 'Baby' Asistio wanted for carjacking

MANILA, Philippines - Police are hunting down the son and namesake of former Caloocan Rep. Luis “Baby” Asistio and a cohort for a string of criminal charges filed against them by a Caloocan City businessman.

Luis Asistio Jr., alias “Peting,” a resident of 12th Avenue, Caloocan City, and Arwin Murillo, also of Caloocan City, are now facing charges of carnapping, grave coercion, serious illegal detention and robbery with physical injuries before the office of assistant city prosecutor Darwin Cañete. Another suspect, Michael Paul Battad, 38, a resident of San Juan City, who was arrested in a police operation, with Asistio’s live-in partner Ma. Rosario Ortega, 41, is also facing the same charges.

Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos said that Ortega was released for lack of evidence.

“No bail was recommended for the rest of the suspects,” Santos told The STAR. Santos said that on Monday afternoon, Murillo went to the house of Joey Sia Mancilla, 39, on University Hills Subdivision in Caloocan, supposedly to buy puppies as Mancilla is engaged in the business of breeding and selling imported dogs.

At around 8 p.m., Mancilla and Murillo, aboard the trader’s black Mazda Tribute (ZAB 718) Sport Utility Vehicle, went to Q-11 Motel in Bagong Barrio. A few minutes after the duo checked in, Asistio, with Battad, reportedly barged inside their room and assaulted Mancilla.

The suspects divested Mancilla of his diamond ring worth P56,000, three cell phones valued at around P25,000, a P54,000 digital camera, and P4,000 cash, Santos said. Before escaping, Asistio and Battad reportedly forced Mancilla to sign a P50,000 pay-to-cash check for a China Bank branch in Valenzuela City.

The victim was warned not to report the incident to the police.

Mancilla and Murillo spent the night together at the motel but early morning the following day, Murillo left taking with him the victim’s SUV, Santos said. Mancilla then sought the assistance of the police.

The Caloocan City police immediately coordinated with the China Bank branch in Valenzuela City for the suspects’ possible encashment of Mancilla’s check.

A few minutes after the bank opened for business, Battad accompanied by Ortega came in. They were immediately arrested and police recovered from Battad Mancilla’s P50,000 check.

Police recovered Mancilla’s SUV abandoned on a street in Barangay Potrero, Malabon City Tuesday night.

Santos said that “conspiracy” was clear in Mancilla’s case as he branded Asistio as the alleged “brains” behind it.