Court resets sentencing in kidnap-slay case 5 times

MANILA, Philippines -  A Manila regional trial court (RTC) reset yesterday – for the fifth time – the promulgation of a kidnapping case involving five-year-old Eunice Kaye Chuang and her nanny, more than 14 years after they were found dead after being kidnapped.

An employee of Manila RTC Branch 5, who requested anonymity, said the presiding judge, Monalisa Tabora, is also acting judge at a Makati RTC.

“She also has a schedule in Makati that is why today’s promulgation was moved to Dec. 22,” the employee said.

Monico Santos and his cousin, Francis Canoza, are being tried on kidnapping with double homicide charges.

Chuang and Bibeth Montecino were kidnapped on Oct. 17, 2000 and died of suffocation after being tied up, gagged and hidden in the ceiling of the suspects’ house.

Ka Kuen Chua, president of crime watchdog Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order, criticized the delay, saying the court postponed the promulgation five times – on May 20, May 30, and June 27 and in 2013 and 2012.

He said this is the longest trial for a kidnap case and noted that last June, Tabora said she was “constrained to cancel the promulgation of decision” due to four missing documents.