Dominguez girlfriend asks PNP to apologize

MANILA, Philippines -  Former actress Katrina Paula is asking for a public apology from the Philippine National Police (PNP) after the Quezon City prosecutor’s office cleared her of homicide charges for the Jan. 14 murder of car dealer Venson Evangelista.

Paula, whose real name is Angelyn Samonte, showed reporters a copy of the April 4 resolution issued by the prosecutor’s office dismissing the charges against her for lack of evidence.

She said she wants the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), through the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, to issue a public apology.

“If they can, they should issue a public apology, and I will accept it whole-heartedly. If they refuse, I cannot do anything,” Paula said.

SITG director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona laughed off Paula’s call.

“We filed the complaint to the Quezon City prosecutor’s office to resolve the case. We submitted all the available evidence that we gathered during the investigation. The prosecutor found insufficient evidence,” he said.

Estipona said the evidence investigators have gathered so far “was really insufficient to hold her for trial but nevertheless, we submitted the matter to the prosecutor.

He said they will study whether or not they will file a motion for reconsideration with the prosecutor’s office, which also cleared Julliane Allysa Crisostomo, the girlfriend of Roger Dominguez.

Roger and his brother, Raymond, reportedly led a gang who killed Evangelista and stole the vehicle he had been selling. Raymond is Paula’s boyfriend.

Estipona pointed out that “the important thing is that all the main players have been charged for the crime.” He said several persons have been charged so far: the Dominguez brothers; Alfred Mendiola, who admitted to pretending to be a buyer for Evangelista’s car; Fernando Parula; Jason Miranda, who acted as an auto-mechanic; Rolando Talban, alias Eduardo Fernandez, the alleged gunman; and men identified only as “Joel, Rolly and Soy.”

The brothers are also implicated in the killing of another car trader, Emerson Lozano, and his co-employee Ernani Sensil.

Not so fast

Paula said she could now resume her showbiz career because talent managers earlier turned her down due to the charges against her.

“I’m so glad, it’s an answered prayer,” she said.

However, Superintendent Edwin Butacan, spokesman of the Highway Patrol Group, said Paula should not celebrate yet since she still has pending criminal charges for possession of eight luxury vehicles last Nov. 4, 2010.

 “We found eight luxury vehicles part in her condominium unit in Mandaluyong City. She could not deny it since her real name was written in the condominium contract,” he said.