Ramona’s flight boosts police case
The chief of the Parañaque police, Senior Superinitendent Billy Beltran, said the Prosecutor’s Office was scheduled to begin its preliminary investigation into the murder and frustrated murder case on November 8, at the end of which it would decide if there was probable cause to indict Ramona Bautista.
If there is, the case will be forwarded to a court, which will then issue an arrest warrant.
The whole process may take weeks because the preliminary investigation alone will involve the filing of counteraffidavits and rejoinders.
“These are all procedures. We are just following due process,” Beltran said. He admitted feeling frustrated that police’s hands were tied while Ramona had flown out of the country.
Beltran said Ramona’s flight was not a good move for her, and had actually boosted the police’s case that she had conspired with her younger brother Ramon Joseph “RJ” Bautista, the alleged mastermind in Ramgen’s murder.
“Definitely she will have to explain” why she left, Beltran told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone.
He said the police had no knowledge of Ramona’s whereabouts or where she intended to go.
Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said Ramona’s leaving the country showed her reluctance to face the charges.
“At the very least, she does not want to fully cooperate in the investigation,” he told the Inquirer by text message.
In the event that an arrest warrant is issued, “if she stays in Hong Kong, she can be repatriated back to the Philippines,” Robredo said.
The Philippines has an extradition treaty with the Chinese territory.
“Am sure Senator Bong Revilla Jr. will exert best effort to get her to come back. Remember, the person murdered is their brother,” Robredo said.
The Philippine National Police said it would coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs and international law enforcement bodies, including the Interpol, to apprehend Ramona once an arrest warrant was issued. DJ Yap
