Car theft gang leader gets the virus

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Saturday confirmed that Raymond Dominguez, one of the primary suspects in the 2011 murder of two used car dealers, has been infected by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while serving his 30-year sentence at the penitentiary.

Earlier on Saturday, Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chair Arsenio Evangelista, whose son Venzon was among the victims of Dominguez’s carnapping syndicate, had sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to determine the truth behind a tip from “a reliable source” that Dominguez had died of the severe respiratory illness inside New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

In a message to the Inquirer, BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag refuted reports about Dominguez’s death, which would have stoked the controversy surrounding the now-embattled penitentiary system, where at least nine high-profile inmates fell to Covid-19.

In isolation

This includes convicted drug lord Jaybee Sebastian, who was a key witness in the drug charges filed against detained Sen. Leila de Lima, and Amim Buratong, who supposedly operated the “shabu tiangge” in Pasig City.

Dominguez, who has shown symptoms of chronic asthma, is now at “Site Harry” where other NBP inmates who tested positive are held in isolation.

Dominguez and his brother Roger were tagged in the 2011 slay of Evangelista, as well as Emerson Lozano, son of former Marcos legal counsel Oliver Lozano.

The murder case remains pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215.

Dominguez was convicted in 2012 by Malolos court Judge Wilfredo Nieves over separate charges of carjacking, and was meted out a 17- to 30-year prison term.

In 2015, the judge was shot dead in an ambush in Bulacan.

Roger, meanwhile, has been detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.