POLICE arrested the suspect in the killing of United Auctioneers Inc. (UAI) founder and chief executive officer Dominic Sytin, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said Monday, March 11.
Albayalde said Edgardo Paredes Luib was arrested on Tuesday, March 5, at the house of his live-in partner in Santo Tomas, Batangas.
He said Luib, who has a standing arrest warrant for two counts of murder, was identified through the help of a tipster, who provided the police information on February 4.
He said Luib is allegedly involved in the killing of Councilor Michael Karingal of Bauan, Batangas in 2013 and Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent Melinda Magsino in 2015.
Albayalde said Luib admitted his involvement in the killing of Sytin on the evening of November 28 outside the Lighthouse Resort and Hotel in Subic Zambales. Sytin's driver was injured during the incident.
The fingerprints that were recovered from the motorcycle used by the suspect as a getaway vehicle matched Luib's fingerprints.
Albayalde said three firearms, including a caliber .45 Norinco, which according to Luib was the gun he used to shoot Sytin, was recovered from him. The Norinco pistol also matched the two bullets that were recovered from the crime scene.
In his extra-judicial confession, Luib identified Sytin's younger brother, Dennis, the erstwhile chief operations officer of UAI, and Ryan Rementilla, former employee of UAI, as the masterminds in the killing.
Luib said Rementilla, his childhood friend, was the one who contacted him to execute the plan.
He said he was initially offered P1 million for the hit job but he only got P50,000, while Rementilla took the rest of the money.
Luib said he first met with Dennis and Rementilla in September 2018 in a beach resort in Subic, Zambales where they planned Sytin's killing.
Criminal Investigation and Investigation Group chief Major General Amador Corpuz said based on initial background investigation, the Sytin brothers have an ongoing dispute over the control of shares and operation of the UAI.
"Ang maliwanag po sometime November 15, tinanggal po si Dennis sa kumpanya because naglagay s'ya ng sarili nyang kumpanya at dina-divert nya 'yung mga ibang equipments doon. So nagkaroon sila ng matinding away and actually, off limits sya (Dennis) doon sa United Auctioneers," said Corpuz.
From UAI, Rementilla transferred to Dennis's company after he was fired by Dominic.
"Ryan ang ginamit nyang pangalan in entering the UAI is Oliver Fuentes kasi may standing warrant s'ya kaya nagpalit s'ya ng pangalan so naging malapit s'ya kay Dominic but sometime in August 2018, nadiskubre ni Dominic na marami rin s'yang dinispalko, so tinanggal s'ya on August 2018," said Corpuz.
"So ang ginawa naman ni Ryan, kinuha s'ya ni Dennis. Nagtrabaho na sya kay Dennis, then that was August then September, doon na naghanap sila ng gunman," he added.
Charges of murder and frustrated murder will be filed against Dennis, Rementilla, Luib, and another John Doe, who allegedly is inside the UAI and who provided information to the gunman regarding the victim's activities before leaving the company premises the day he was killed. (SunStar Philippines)