THE Department of Justice (DOJ) said it will file airtight cases and will show no mercy in prosecuting the culprits behind the Ayala Alabang kidnap-slay case.
This was the assurance given by DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla in his instruction to state prosecutors handling the case of abduction and killing of six Chinese nationals and three Filipinos in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City last year.
Remulla said the DOJ has already found probable cause to indict three individuals for kidnapping, serious illegal detention, homicide, and car theft charges.
“Assure airtight cases are filed and show no mercy in prosecuting those behind these senseless crimes,” Remulla said.
In a resolution dated February 15, 2024, the DOJ panel of prosecutors has ruled that Edgar Catapang Abarca, Eduardo Catapang Abarca and John Oliver Villanueva, a.k.a. Carlo Acero Villanueva, are to be charged before the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) with four counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with homicide, four counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention, one count of slight illegal detention and one count of carnapping.
Based on the complaint filed before the DOJ by the Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) Luzon Field Unit last December 29, 2023, the three Filipinos kidnapped were released by the suspects in Calauan, Laguna a day after the abduction.
The three Filipinos promptly reported the incident to police authorities which led to a series of operations.
Unfortunately, only the remains of four of the six Chinese nationals were recovered while the remaining two are still missing up to this date.
After backtracking and reviewing available CCTV footage, the police were able to track down the perpetrators, which subsequently led to their arrest and the filing of the cases.