‘Gift bomb’ victim’s ma, brod deny murder raps

MANILA, Philippines - The mother and brother of “gift bomb” victim Yvonne Chua have denied before the Department of Justice (DOJ) charges linking them to the 2010 murder.

In separate answers filed last week, Arlene and Arnold Padilla denied masterminding the killing of Chua as alleged by their relative, Manuel Padilla, vice chairman of the Bantay-Bata Foundation, in a murder complaint last month.

“I categorically deny that I participated in any manner whatsoever in the murder of my sister. I already lost my sister and here now comes this completely outrageous lie foisted by my own cousin against me,” read Arnold’s five-page counter-affidavit submitted to investigating Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera last week.

The complainant accused the mother-and-son tandem of masterminding the killing of Chua since the principal suspect, Rhea Obra, was Arnold’s former maid. It was alleged that they had also provided a lawyer for her.

Arnold belied the allegations and asked the DOJ to dismiss the complaint, citing lack of proof.

“Conspiracy is never presumed. Conspiracy must be proved by positive and convincing evidence. Mere suspicion, speculation, relationship, association and companionship do not prove conspiracy,” he said.

Arlene submitted a similar defense in her answer.

Arnold believes the complainant filed the murder complaint in apparent retaliation to the criminal charges he filed against the latter for allegedly inflicting psyhological abuse on his daughter.

“The complaint is false, malicious and was filed in manifest bad faith. It has no purpose other than to harass me,” he claimed.

In his murder complaint, Manuel said he pursued the case since the victim’s husband Vinzon and their child had already left the country. He is the eldest cousin of Chua.

Obra was earlier charged with murder and frustrated murder after she was identified by a guard at Chua’s house as the one who delivered the gift bomb. The guard, in his testimony, said the package was for Chua, given by her mother.

Five grenades, put in a Louis Vuitton bag, exploded when Chua opened the package on Dec. 29, 2010.

Manuel said he believes “greed” could be the motive for his cousin’s killing.