MANILA, Philippines—Barely able to choke out words in between sobs, the daughter of Noel Orate, the boyfriend of former congresswoman Nanette Castelo Daza who was killed Friday night, appealed to the public to help them seek justice for her father.
Noelyn said the 55-year-old district manager at Unilab Laboratories was “a good man” who didn’t deserve his violent death at the house of long-time girlfriend, Daza.
Overcome with grief, Noelyn had to leave the Hall of Justice earlier than the rest of her family on Saturday night where the suspect, Allan Robes, underwent inquest proceedings.
Robes, 38, is a Bulacan provincial board member and Daza’s son-in-law.
“I just want justice for my dad. He is a good man and many people can attest to that… He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this,” Noelyn choked as she was led into a waiting vehicle by a man.
Herr brother Noel was somber but his face bore the signs of grief.
An IBM employee, Noel likened the situation to Biblical figures David and Goliath to illustrate how powerless they were to the Dazas, a political family.
Nanette Daza once served as a Quezon City congresswoman representing the fourth district while Robes, her son-in-law, married Daza’s daughter Jessica, now a city councilor for the same district.
A Daza brother, Winston “Winnie” Castelo, now occupies the Quezon City second district seat in the House of Representatives.
Robes underwent inquest proceedings on Saturday night for murder charges after police took him into custody following the shooting at the Daza house on 51 Maningning St., Teachers Village.
He was seen walking out of the bungalow with a gun as lawmen discovered Orate slumped inside.
However, no one has come forward from the Daza household to tell what really happened that night.
Sources earlier hinted that the shooting might have been a case of self-defense in a bid to protect the family and that Nanette Daza had wanted to break off her relationship with Orate.
Police earlier said Nanette Daza called up for help on Friday night.
Informants previously alleged that a reportedly drunk Orate went to his girlfriend’s house armed with a gun and caused a commotion at the household.
Robes tried to pacify the older man but his efforts ended in the shooting of the victim, who died on the spot.
Two policemen from the Anonas police station had just arrived outside the gate when they heard a series of shots fired from inside the house.
They later saw Robes walking out of the house with his Keltec .380 pistol and he peacefully gave himself up.
But the younger Orate said they were merely an “ordinary family” compared to the mighty Dazas.
“Please help us for we are up against a big clan. We’re just an ordinary family and not from a clan of politicians. Please help us, we need help for our father,” Noel told reporters in Filipino.
But when asked after the inquest proceedings as to what he knew about what really happened on Friday night, the victim’s son declined, saying he would speak about it at a proper time.
Noel Orate earlier told police that he only learned of his father’s death when the congresswoman called him up and told him that “his father was gone.”
Meanwhile, the inquest prosecutor initially recommended the filing of homicide raps against Robes instead of the murder charge that police lodged against him.
Assistant city prosecutor Soliman Usman is expected to issue the final resolution on the inquest this week as he sifts through the complaint for probable cause.
A source told the Philipine Daily Inquirer that during the proceedings, the assistant city prosecutor first called the Orates, the QCPD-CIDU investigators and Robes’ lawyer, a certain Attorney Blado.
Usman asked the suspect’s counsel if the case was that of self-defense, to which the lawyer reportedly replied yes.
The informant added that the Robes’ camp did not ask for a regular preliminary investigation by the prosecutor’s office during the proceedings.
Accompanied by his pregnant wife, Jessica, Robes was presented before Usman still wearing the yellow-orange cap that he was wearing when arrested on Friday night.
The former congresswoman was not seen during the inquest proceedings or at Camp Karingal where her son-in-law was held since Friday night.
The Daza and Robes camps remained tight-lipped on their side of the story as the Robes couple did not heed reporters’ questions when they left the Hall of Justice.
Wearing a white dress, Jessica was still at her husband’s side though flanked by armed policemen as Robes was hustled into an old police patrol car on the way back to Camp Karingal.
A friend of the suspect, however, spoke in Robes’s defense, describing the Bulacan official as “a good man.”
“He is not the type to do such a crime. He is too kind-hearted and peace-loving,” said Ramon Posadas, also a Bulacan provincial board member.