Pharma CEO kidnap-slay: Suspects burned victim’s body for three days

MANILA, Philippines — The people behind the kidnapping and murder of a chief executive officer (CEO) of a pharmaceutical company in Marikina City burned his corpse for three days in a farm in Sto. Tomas, Batangas in an effort to hide their crime, an official said yesterday.

This was what the people behind the killing of Eduardo Tolosa Jr., CEO of Iraseth Pharma Inc., did to his body for them to cover their tracks, based on the investigation of the police Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG).

Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, said that one of the five suspects who surrendered to the PNP admitted they burned Tolosa’s body upon the orders of the alleged mastermind, Carlo Cadampog.

“Halos tatlong araw sinunog ‘yung bangkay pagkatapos patayin (They burned the corpse for nearly three days after killing him),” Fajardo said in an interview.

It is for this reason that the PNP Forensic Group was not able to recover DNA profiles from what appeared to be human skeletal remains that were recovered in Barangay San Juan.

Cadampog is a casino card dealer and also from Barangay San Juan, according to Fajardo.

The AKG filed criminal charges before the Department of Justice against Cadampog, his brother Ceasar, Adrian Joseph Mendez, Richmeld Ignilan, David Gundran, John Benedict Dumalanta, Melvin Andes, Melchor Andes, Victor Ferrer, a certain Tomtom and a still unidentified man.

Of the suspects, those who are under the custody of the PNP are Melvin and Melchor Andes, Dumalanta, Gundran and Ferrer.

Fajardo said the five surrendered to authorities as they were in constant fear of Cadampog and others who were directly involved in Tolosa’s murder.

The five are willing to testify in court as they insisted that their only participation was burning Tolosa’s body and not in his actual murder.

According to Fajardo, one of the suspects in their custody told investigators Cadampog tried to kill Tolosa with a handgun but after the firearm malfunctioned, he asked for a knife.

The five were not present during the actual killing.

“Ang presumption nila ay kutsilyo ang ginamit (Their presumption is that a knife was used),” Fajardo said.

Tolosa was last seen alive in a Toyota Land Cruiser on July 19 when he picked up P5.7 million in cash and two expensive watches from his personal assistant in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

His vehicle was later found burned in San Luis, Pampanga.

The AKG said Cadampog’s group demanded P100 million in ransom from Tolosa’s relatives in exchange for his release.

While the money has not been found, Fajardo said the suspects in their custody admitted Cadampog gave them cash after burning Tolosa’s body.