6 suspects in Davantes rob-slay charged

MANILA, Philippines - Criminal charges were filed yesterday with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against six suspects in the killing of advertising executive Kristelle “Kae” Davantes.

Reggie Diel, Lloyd Benedict Enriquez and Samuel Decimo were brought to the DOJ by the Philippine National Police (PNP) at past midnight yesterday for inquest proceedings. 

 They were charged with robbery with homicide and qualified carnapping along with the three other suspects – Kelvin Jorek Evangelista, Jomar Pepito and Baser Minalang – who are still at large.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – National Capital Region (CIDG-NCR) referred the complaint filed by the victim’s uncle, Vicente Davantes, before the office of prosecutor Omar Cris Casimiro.

Chief Superintendent Christopher Laxa, head of Task Force Kae, said they will hold a case review today to “reinforce their evidence” against the suspects.

“We will add as our evidence the documents we gathered and possibly submit also the results of the laboratory examination on the victim and her car and other recovered evidence,” he said.

Decimo, 19, was arrested on Sept. 20 not for the Davantes case, but for attempting to rob passengers of a jeepney in Molino, Cavite.

During his interrogation, Decimo confessed he was among those who killed Davantes.

He claimed they only intended to rob Davantes but were forced to kill her when she saw their faces and license plate of their vehicle and realized she would be able to identify them.

He said two companions strangled Davantes but failed to kill her. He confessed he was the one who stabbed the victim to death.

Decimo said they intended to rob Davantes when they noticed that she was driving in the same direction as they were. They were able to enter the subdivision where Davantes lived since they had a valid sticker for the gated community.

They then followed Davantes to her home and, as she alighted from her car, they accosted her. They took her away in her own car, gagged and tied her up, and killed her when they got to Silang, Cavite.

Davantes’ body was found last Sept. 7 in Silang. She was fully clothed and her body bore no signs of sexual abuse, police said.

Decimo said they divided the P3,000 they found in Davantes’ wallet and sold her gadgets – a laptop, a cell phone and a BlackBerry smartphone. The laptop and cell phone were found in a store in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. The BlackBerry remains missing.

Decimo also said they tried to sell the victim’s Toyota Altis. The prospective buyer backed out upon learning it was a “hot” car. The suspects tried to burn the car, which was recovered in Pamplona 3, Las Piñas last Sunday. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe