Hitman owns up to car dealer's slay

MANILA, Philippines – A hitman of the Dominguez carjack gang confessed to killing car dealer Venson Evangelista in front of the victim’s father, police officials and members of media at the Camp Vicente Lim police headquarters yesterday.

However, Rolando Talban denied killing Emerson Lozano, another car dealer.

Talban was arrested in Dasmariñas, Cavite Wednesday afternoon, Cavite police director Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao said yesterday.

Talban asked for forgiveness when police officers presented him to Evangelista’s father, Arsenio, after his arrest.

“Humihingi po ako ng kapatawaran sa inyo, sir (I am asking you for forgiveness, sir)!” he said.

However, Arsenio had no words of forgiveness – he simply kept asking Talban questions.

Talban assured police that he would cooperate in the investigation of the Dominguez Gang’s carjackings.

Upon being interviewed by members of media, Talban identified his handlers as Melvin de Jesus and Joel Jacinto, alias Boy Fortune.

No policemen are protecting their carjacking operations in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, he added.

Talban is set to be arraigned on the charge of carnapping with homicide in connection with Evangelista’s killing. He, brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez and Jayson Miranda were charged based on the testimony of Alfred Mendiola, who said he posed as a potential buyer of a sport utility vehicle Evangelista was selling on the day he was kidnapped.

Quezon City assistant prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo Jr. said the Regional Trial Court Branch 215 is hearing the case.

Mendiola, who was killed last May, identified Talban as the gunman in Evangelista’s killing.

Next in line

Police released yesterday a photograph of one of two suspects still at large in the killing of Evangelista and Lozano last year.

Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent James Melad said a P500,000 bounty awaits anyone who could give information leading to the arrest of Joel Jacinto, alias Joel Mechanic, one of the nine members of the gang responsible for kidnapping and killing Evangelista and Lozano.

Melad said Jacinto posed as an automobile mechanic when the Dominguez gang kidnapped Evangelista and Lozano.

Jacinto and Talban were involved in a series of carjackings in Cavite and nearby provinces, he added.

Following Evangelista’s killing in January 2011, Talban’s name was again linked to the Dominquez Gang’s carjacking activities, Melad said.

Talban identified his other cohorts in the carjacking gang as Jefferson Manalo alias Jeffrey Manalo, Totoy Mata, and a certain alias Arthur.

Bulalacao said Talban has several arrest warrants in Bulacan, Quezon City, Pampanga and Cavite.

Talban used the aliases Eduardo Fernandez, Michael Villafranca, and Wilson Sangalang to hide his identity, he added.

Bulalacao said Talban gave his name as Wilson Mendoza when police arrested him following a shooting in Barangay Burol, Dasmariñas on Wednesday.

Talban’s group attempted to carjack a Mitsubishi Fuso tanker truck loaded with 14,000 liters of petroleum products worth P800,000, he added. – With Reinir Padua