Dominguez girlfriend denies link to car trader's slay

MANILA, Philippines - Starlet Katrina Paula (Angeline Samonte in real life) denied yesterday allegations she was involved in the abduction and killing of car trader Venson Evangelista, saying she was a guest at a television show when he disappeared.

Accompanied by her lawyer, Raymund Palad, Samonte filed her counter-affidavit before the Quezon City prosecutors’ office in response to a car theft with homicide case filed against her. Samonte is the girlfriend of alleged carjack gang leader Raymond Dominguez, who, along with his brother Roger, face similar charges in court.

Samonte said witness Alfred Mendiola, who confessed to being a member of the Dominguez car theft ring, has no specific allegations against her in his handwritten affidavit. She said in her affidavit that “the police could not even allege with particularity” her degree of participation in the Jan. 13, 2011 kidnap-slay.

Samonte’s camp also submitted a witness’ affidavit that she was on the premises of the TV5 network from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Jan. 13 as a guest of the show “Willing Willie.”

“There is no valid reason to implicate her as principal, accessory or accomplice, for the death of Venson,” the affidavit stated.

Meanwhile, the Central Luzon regional police office has banned motorcyclists from using helmets while in Camp Olivas in Pampanga to thwart alleged plots to sneak out Mendiola, who said he posed as a buyer of Evangelista’s Toyota Land Cruiser, according to sources.

On Jan. 14, Evangelista’s burned body, which bore a gunshot wound in the head, was found in Nueva Ecija, while his Land Cruiser was found in a motel parking lot in Mandaluyong several weeks later.

Police said Evangelista’s murder was similar to that of another car trader, Emerson Lozano and his co-employee, Ernani Sensil. The two were abducted last Jan. 11 and their bodies, which were also set on fire, were found separately in Pampanga and Tarlac. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe