State witness in car trader's slay leaves DOJ custody

MANILA, Philippines - The lone state witness in the abduction and murder of car trader Venson Evangelista left the custody of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Tuesday, police said yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Rudy Lacadin, regional chief of the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at Camp Olivas in Pampanga, confirmed that Alfred Mendiola left DOJ custody.

“His life is in danger,” Lacadin said. “He should have known what he has to face when he decided to turn state witness.”

Mendiola posed as a buyer of a Toyota Land Cruiser that Evangelista was selling on the day he was abducted. He surrendered to the police after Evangelista’s charred body was found, pointing to brothers Roger and Raymond Dominguez as the alleged mastermind in the case.

He also testified that the Dominguez brothers also masterminded the abduction and murder of another car trader, Emerson Lozano, and his driver, Ernani Sensil.

Mendiola’s lawyer, Willie Rivera, said reports of his client’s “escape” are untrue. “There was a miscommunication,” he told The STAR.

Assistant City Prosecutor Irene Resurreccion, who is on the panel of fiscals handling the case, also denied the reports.

Rivera said his client could not have escaped because he is not considered a detainee. “He will still testify,” he added.

Rivera said Mendiola asked to meet with him because “he was worrying about his security.” He said his client was “no longer comfortable” about the security given to him by the DOJ, but added that he has yet to talk to Mendiola in detail about this concern.

“There’s an agreement with the DOJ about the protective custody. So anytime he wants to leave, he could do so,” Rivera said.

He said Mendiola physically left the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) premises Tuesday and the lawyer received a call about his client’s request for a meeting yesterday morning.

Rivera and Mendiola met at around noon yesterday after the latter asked that he be under police protection. According to Rivera, Mendiola was accompanied by DOJ agents, so the move was obviously known to DOJ officials.

Rivera said he is still trying to make arrangements on who would protect his client.

Strong case even without Mendiola testimony

Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, who heads a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) on the car traders’ killings, also confirmed that Mendiola left the custody of the DOJ’s WPP Tuesday and surrendered to Bulacan authorities yesterday.

“The government has a strong case against the Dominguez (brothers) and Mendiola should not think we will give him all his whims and caprices because he is the only witness to the case,” he said.

Estipona said Mendiola surfaced yesterday at the Bulacan Provincial Jail, where he reportedly wanted to stay while the Quezon City regional trial court is hearing the case.

“Mendiola said the WPP agents are too strict, that’s why he left, but he must realize that we are after his safety. He must also observe the rules and regulations of the WPP,” he said.

The SITG chief said his overnight “escape” will not have any implication in his testimony, but should Mendiola retract his statement, the government has other evidence and witnesses.

He said aside from the Dominguez brothers, Fernando Parulan and Jayson Miranda are in police custody. Suspects Rolando Talban, alias Eduardo Fernandez, and an alias Joel are still at large. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Ric Sapnu