‘Conspiracy’ theory strengthens case vs suspects in Ramgen slay

MANILA, Philippines—Prosecutors pursuing the Ramgen Bautista murder case believe their case strengthened after the six suspects admitted to knowing each other by one way or another.

Resty Mendoza, counsel for Janelle Manahan, who has filed frustrated murder charges also against the six suspects, said the admissions can show that they can conspire to do the crime.

“Collectively, they admitted knowing each other. The majority were connected to each other, laying the theory of conspiracy before and during the time of the incident,” he told reporters after the pretrial hearing of the case at the Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 on Tuesday.

During the proceedings, Ramon Joseph “RJ” Bautista, Ramgen’s brother and one of the suspects, admitted personally knowing Ryan Pastera, whom RJ allegedly recruited to find people who will kill Ramgen.

Pastera, in turn, admitted to knowing two other suspects–Norwin dela Cruz and Glaiza Visda–but denied knowing the remaining two suspects, Roy Francis Tolisora and Michael Nartea.

Furthermore, RJ also admitted that Pastera, who also admitted knowing personally Gail Bautista and her husband Hiro Furuyama, who are also suspects in the case, knew their BF Homes residence in Parañaque and visited the house several times before the incident.

“This is crucial because it really establishes that the two know each other,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza said there were other admissions which could help their case, such as RJ admitting that he knows the coffee shop near their house and that they were due to travel to Baguio on the night of the incident, but he declined to elaborate on how it would help their case.

The trial for the petition for bail filed by the six accused will start on June 5, while the trial on the merits of the case is expected to start by July 24.