The Department of Justice. (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer).
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has found enough evidence to accuse 10 people of kidnapping and killing Eduardo Tolosa Jr., a pharmaceutical company executive.
On Tuesday, February 14, the DOJ said in a press conference Carlo and Cesar Cadampog, Adrian Joseph Mendez, Richmel Riel Ignilan, Jomel Vizacarra, Aldrin/Norman Antonio, John Benedict Dumalanta, Victor Ferrer, David Gundran Jr. and Melvin Andes were all charged with kidnapping and killing a person for money.
“After evaluation of the evidence, the Panel of Prosecutors found sufficient evidence to hold respondents, save for Melchor Andes, a minor, for trial,” it said.
The DOJ will file a criminal case against 10 respondents before the Regional Trial Court of Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
READ: PNP files raps vs 11 involved in abduction, murder of pharma exec
On July 19, 2022, Tolosa was seen alive onboard his sport utility vehicle in Taguig City. He had called an official from his company Iraseth Pharma Inc. to take the money and other items out of his vault. The items, which included 102,700 US dollars, 2,800 euros, and 186 Singaporean dollars, were delivered by a company messenger and believed to have been used as ransom.
The alleged mastermind, Carlo, received the items, and after that, Tolosa was killed in Barangay San Juan in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Months later, the suspects Dumalanta, Gundran, Melchor and Ferrer voluntarily surrendered to the Philippine National Police – Anti-Kidnapping Group. They gave their confessions, describing the abduction and murder of Tolosa.
READ: 5 suspects behind kidnap-slay of pharma executive surrender
However, the Department of Justice pointed out that the indictment for the kidnapping with ransom resulting in the murder was not solely based on the sworn declarations of the surrendered suspects, but was also founded upon the CCTV footage and the testimonies of other individuals, which confirmed that Carlo had planned to abduct Tolosa and thereafter solicit money from him.
In addition, authorities had obtained CCTV footage depicting Tolosa with an unidentified male driver on C5-SLEX, and subsequently, his incinerated vehicle was later located in San Luis, Pampanga.