Bong denies taking half-sister in custody

MANILA, Philippines - As the plot surrounding the murder of 23-year-old actor Ramgen Revilla (real name Ramgen Bautista) thickens, the camp of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. clarified yesterday that he has not taken his half-sister, Maria Ramona Magsaysay Bautista, under his custody.

Revilla disputed reports quoting the Las Piñas police that he has under his custody Ramona, who is also fondly called as “Mara” by her close relatives and friends. Ramona is one of those charged for her half-brother’s killing.

“She is not under our custody. If there is anybody who knows where she is, it is her mother. Even their lawyer had publicly stated that Ramona is not in hiding, and that she is merely afraid that she will be arrested without warrant of arrest just like what happened to RJ,” the senator’s staff, who requested anonymity, said.

RJ is 18-year-old Joseph Bautista, who was tagged by the police as the mastermind of the killing.

The source said Ramgen’s mother, Genalyn Magsaysay, blamed the senator for allowing RJ to be arrested by the police. The actor’s father, former senator Ramon Revilla Sr., was discharged yesterday after being confined at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City since Joseph and Ramona were charged for their brother’s murder.

Quoting the senator’s wife, Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado Revilla, the source added that the senator took custody of Ramona only on Oct. 29, the day Ramgen was killed and Ramona purportedly abducted and abandoned at a mall in Las Piñas. That was Oct. 29.

Since then, the congresswoman said Ramona has returned to her home, and even visited the wake of her eldest brother in Cavite.

“That happened on the day Ram was killed, remember? Since Saturday, we saw Mara going to the wake of Ramgen together with her siblings. Last time we saw her was Oct. 31 at the wake,” Lani told one of the senator’s senior officials in a bid to clarify the issue.

Ramona with the Magsaysays?

The congresswoman added that Ramona was with the Magsaysay family, apparently all the time when she was going to Ram’s wake. “If there is somebody who will place Ramona under their care, it would be the Magsaysay family. We bet their lawyer knows that too,” the source added.

Ramgen died of multiple stab wounds and a gunshot wound. Janelle, meanwhile, survived gunshot wounds in the face and shoulder.

Ramona had earlier claimed Ramgen was killed by a gunman wearing a Halloween mask and that she was kidnapped by his attacker and left at a mall along the Zapote-Alabang Road in Las Piñas.

However, police investigators said they found out that the kidnapping was a hoax and part of an alleged coverup. Police investigators suspect that Ramona and RJ are involved in their sibling’s brutal killing.

Ramgen’s mother had appealed to the police to look for the real killers of her son. She said the police’s initial findings were “impossible.”

“Ram Revilla was a good son. We have had differences, but my children cannot kill their own brother. I did not raise them to kill each other,” Magsaysay said in a television interview.

Ramgen’s girlfriend belies half-sister’s story

Policemen investigating Ramgen’s murder said yesterday there were “inconsistencies” between the testimonies given by Ramona and Manahan.

Senior Superintendent Billy Beltran, chief of the Parañaque City police, said Manahan’s statement belied the testimony Ramona gave the Las Piñas City police, wherein she claimed to have been abducted by her brother’s attacker.

“There was no abduction. (Manahan said) Ramona stayed inside the room for about five to 10 minutes after the attack,” Beltran said.

According to Bautista, however, her brother’s attacker forced her into a van and dropped her in Las Piñas about an hour later. Beltran said Manahan asked Bautista to call an ambulance but she never did. Instead, Ramona left through the main gate but was spotted by two village guards and Revilla’s personal assistant.

Beltran declined to venture his assumptions, saying the case is now with the city prosecutor’s office.

On Tuesday, police filed murder and frustrated murder charges against seven people, including Ramona and Joseph. Also charged were Michael Altea, Roy Francisco Tolisora, Glaiza Vista, Norwin de la Cruz, and a certain Bryan for allegedly helping the two younger siblings plan and execute the crime.

The decision whether to elevate to the court the murder case filed by policemen against the suspects “may be out next week,” said City Prosecutor Amerhassan Paudac.

Illegal arrest?

Joseph’s lawyer, Dennis Mananzal, said his client’s arrest was illegal and filed an omnibus motion for Joseph’s immediate release. He also asked that his client be subject to a preliminary investigation.

“The alleged (witness) Ruel Puzon and the (police) officers who effected the arrest do not have personal knowledge of facts or circumstances that the person to be arrested (Joseph) has committed,” the motion read.

Puzon, according to Mananzal, is only knowledgeable on the planning of the crime and not the execution and his statement cannot be a basis for a “valid warrantless arrest.”

Beltran said Joseph’s arrest is part of a police hot pursuit operation.