MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City courts handling the cases filed in connection with the shooting of international race car driver Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor have yet to issue arrest warrants.
Staff at the Regional Trial Court Branch 85, where the murder case against businessman Domingo “Sandy” de Guzman III was filed, said yesterday that the suspect filed a motion for determination of probable cause.
The arrest warrant would only be issued if Judge Luisito Cortez rules that there is probable cause to proceed with the trial.
Meanwhile, staff at the Regional Trial Court Branch 91 said court records on the parricide case against Pastor’s widow, Dahlia Guerrero-Pastor, are still with Judge Lita Tolentino-Genilo.
Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) approved the indictment of De Guzman and Dahlia for Pastor’s killing on June 12, 2014 at the corner of Congressional and Visayas Avenues in Quezon City.
The prosecutors cited the confession of alleged gunman Police Officer 2 Edgar Angel, who pointed at De Guzman and Dahlia as masterminds of the killing.
Angel later recanted his statement, but the DOJ said that his extra-judicial confession that he was contracted by the respondents to kill Pastor for P100,000 remains valid.
The alleged gunman is facing murder charges before QC-RTC Branch 85. The court has entered a “not guilty” plea after he refused to do so during his arraignment last year.
Court staff said he has a pending petition for bail.