After 3 years, still no justice for slain car dealer

MANILA, Philippines - Three years after the murder of car dealer Venson Evangelista, his family remains hopeful that the alleged perpetrators of the crime will be brought to justice.

Venson’s father, Arsenio Evangelista, 58, criticized yesterday the criminal justice system in the Philippines for the slow pace of the trial but said he is “happy that all the suspects are behind bars.”

Brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez, and alleged cohorts Rolando Talban, Jayson Miranda, and Joel Jacinto, who all pleaded not guilty during their respective arraignments, are facing carjacking with homicide charges before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215.

Lead Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo told The STAR yesterday that they have presented two witnesses during the start of trial proceedings last year.

He said they will present around 10 more witnesses and hope to rest their case later this year. The prosecutor said their goal is for the case to be submitted for decision by 2015.

 â€œWe all want this to be over,” he said.

Since the case was raffled off to the court in 2011, three judges have already handled the case: Luisa Padilla, Ma. Rita Bascos Sarabia, and Wilfredo Maynigo.

Padilla was promoted to the Court of Appeals in 2012. Sarabia became the branch assisting judge, but she was replaced by Maynigo last year when she was appointed to her own sala.

Trials are held once a month at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, where Raymond is detained following his conviction for a separate carjacking.

The case stemmed from the death of Venson, whose charred remains were found in Nueva Ecija on Jan. 14, 2011. He was allegedly kidnapped the day before by alleged members of the Dominguez carjack group, including slain star witness Alfred Mendiola, when he offered to test drive a vehicle.

Mendiola admitted participating in the crime and identified the other suspects. He was found dead in Cavite in May 2012.

Moving forward

Following the death of his son, Arsenio said he has stopped his car dealership business as he is frightened of what could happen while he is with potential buyers.

He is currently a member of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, a non-government organization advocating anti-crime in the country.

He said his primary advocacy is to stop carjacking, which resulted in the death of his son.

On the third year of his son’s death, Arsenio said he wants two things – conviction of the accused and fewer crimes in the country.

“Only after a conviction can I move forward,” he said. “I want to see them convicted while I am still alive.”

He said that after three years, the number of crimes in the country – including carjacking – remains high. He cited recent cases where policemen, whom he said should have been protecting our people, were gunned down by still unidentified attackers.

 â€œNothing has changed,” he said.

Death penalty

Arsenio said the high number of crimes in the country is an indication that death penalty should be reinstated in the Philippines.

He said this would deter people from doing crimes in the country, adding that the lack of death penalty in the country has attracted foreign organized crime groups to operate in the country.

“This is not just for Venson. This is for all victims of heinous crimes,” he said.