Wednesday, March 08, 2006
7 face murder raps for jeweler's death
By Joy Romares-Sevilla
DAVAO CITY -- Seven persons, including a woman, are accused of murdering a woman jewelry trader who was found dead in a deep ravine in Barangay Baluyan, Malalag, Davao del Sur.
City Prosecutor Raul B. Bendigo forwarded the murder charges against Doris Gargar, a resident of Skyline Subdivision, Davao City, her former husband Bonjiber Gargar, her driver Rodel Sigue, Jerry Alcala, Dodong Constantino, Bobong Adelanie, and a certain alias Tata, all residents of Matina.
Doris is the cousin of victim Alona Suico, 28, of New Gotamco in Agdao.
The Gargars, Sigue, and Alcala are now detained at the Heinous Crime Investigation Section of the Davao City Police Office after they were arrested in the afternoon of March 1. The other respondents are still at large.
Ricky Suico, 32, of Purok 4, Montevista in Compostela Valley Province, elder brother of the victim, filed the complaint against the respondents.
Alona's family reported her as missing to police authorities on February 21.
On March 1, a body of a woman, who was naked, was found in Malalag, Davao del Sur and the victim's family positively identified the woman as Alona.
Police investigation revealed that Alona left her house at past noon of February 21 for Ladislawa Village in Buhangin to buy assorted jewelry from a friend named Margie Huan.
Huan and her helper confirmed to police that Alona went to her house and purchased jewelry amounting to P80,000.
A green Honda car driven by a slim man later identified as Sigue fetched Alona, added Huan.
Huan also claimed she heard Alona saying, "Just a moment, Dor," before she went outside the house.
Sigue said he was with Bonjiber who instructed him to fetch Alona from Huan's house.
But before fetching Alona, they went to Metrobank along Magsaysay Avenue where they were met by Doris, Tata, Constantino, Adelanie, and Alcala onboard a Crosswind vehicle.
Alcala, who served as Doris's driver, said in his affidavit that when they arrived at Metrobank, Bonjiber and Alona transferred to the Crosswind vehicle he was driving. He was then told by Doris to proceed to her house at Skyline Subdivision.
Alcala said that while they were on the road, he heard Doris and Alona arguing over debts.
He then saw Tata, Adelanie, and Constantino tie Alona's hands with a packaging tape and when she tried to shout, Adelanie boxed her in the stomach.
Alcala added when they reached the Pink Sisters Monastery Compound parking lot near Skyline Subdivision, Doris instructed Alona to transfer to the green Honda vehicle driven by Sigue, who was tailing them at all times.
Alcala said he and Sigue were instructed by Doris to proceed to her house. Doris and the others boarded the green car.
Ricky, upon learning that her sister was missing, said he went to Ladislawa and learned from the security guard's logbook that Sigue went to Huan's residence to fetch Alona on February 21.
Ricky then called Doris, but she got angry and passed the mobile phone to Mayonito Banta. He said Banta castigated him.
Days later, Ricky's family heard news about a dead woman dumped at a ravine somewhere in Malalag.
The woman was only clad in her underwear and bore gunshot wounds in her head and contusions in the different parts of her body.
Ricky's family identified the victim as Alona.
Ricky was later informed that Doris, Bonjiber, Alcala, Sigue, and Banta were already arrested.
While inside the detention cell, Ricky claimed he confronted Doris who even asked for his forgiveness, saying it was Banta who shot Alona in the head.
But the prosecutor handling the case said Banta should be dropped from the charge, as they found no evidence against him.
Banta was then ordered released from detention.
It was later learned that Doris owes Alona more than P100,000 worth of jewelry.
The court has also released an arrest warrant against Doris for three counts of estafa sometime in 2002. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(March 8, 2006 issue)
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