MANILA, Philippines - The preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the killing of international racing champion Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor last June 12 was again delayed after the alleged brains snubbed yet another hearing.
It was the fourth time that Pastor’s widow, Daliah, and businessman Domingo “Sandy” de Guzman skipped the DOJ hearing, prompting the investigating panel of prosecutors to reset their submission of counter-affidavits on respective charges of parricide and murder.
Daliah and De Guzman, who reportedly engaged in an extramarital affair, were earlier summoned by the DOJ in hearings set last Sept. 9 and 16 and Oct. 6. They did not appear in any of the proceedings.
Yesterday, their lawyers Dennis Manalo and Ruy Rondain explained that their clients were not ready to appear before the DOJ and answer the charges.
Manalo, De Guzman’s lawyer, asked the DOJ panel – chaired by Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Villanueva – to first summon probers of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and submit evidence against his client that he said would be necessary for his client’s defense.
Among the evidence sought by the lawyer were the affidavit of Paolo Salazar, Pastor’s assistant and companion during the killing, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages of a gasoline station in Muntinlupa City where De Guzman was reportedly arrested in an entrapment operation last Aug. 26.
But the DOJ rejected the request, citing lack of authority to issue a subpoena (for submission of documents and evidence).
During the hearing, Manalo tried to submit an unofficial copy of the CCTV footages that he claimed would prove that there was no such entrapment operation that took place.
Rondain, for his part, questioned the basis for the preliminary investigation against Daliah. He argued that the referral of the Philippine National Police and the sworn affidavits of the parents of Pastor and the witnesses could not be considered an official complaint.
The DOJ panel gave the two respondents until Oct. 24 to appear and submit their respective counter-affidavits.
Ricky dela Cruz, lawyer of the Pastor family, accused the respondents of employing dilatory tactics. He lamented that the submission of their answers was deferred three times.