2 charged for Davao restaurant owner’s slay

DAVAO CITY, Philippines   â€“ A businessman-restaurateur who used to write a column for local dailies here was found dead with several stab wounds in Malalag, Davao del Sur on Friday, and two suspects have been charged for the crime.

Police said businessman Ramon Teodoro Garcia, 67, owner of Nanay Bebeng Restaurant here, was last seen last Thursday night leaving the Apo View Hotel in this city, and his family reported him missing on Friday afternoon.

But Garcia’s body was already found Friday morning in Sitio Baluyan, Barangay Bolton in Malalag. Masking tape covered his mouth.

Senior Superintendent Michael Dubria, Davao del Sur police director, said Garcia’s Toyota Innova was found burned in Barangay Nagpan, Malungon, Sarangani, just a few kilometers away from where his body was discovered.

Police said two suspects have been arrested – a certain Daisy Joy Capachero and her boyfriend, Ariel John Liawan. Closed-circuit TV footage showed Capachero riding with Garcia on his car.

Charges of kidnapping and robbery with homicide were filed against the two, who yielded Garcia’s personal belongings, including his wallet and ATM card, and P24,000 in cash supposedly from Garcia’s pawned jewelry.  

Garcia used to be a close ally of former House speaker Prospero Nograles and ran as a second nominee of the Bantay party-list group of fugitive former Brig. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr.

Garcia was also for a time connected with the Air Transportation Office, now the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.