The son of businessman Antonio P. Antonio was found guilty of parricide by the Parañaque City Regional Trial Court, his daughter confirms to INQUIRER.net on Thursday, March 21, 2024. According to Xialen Antonio, Parañaque City RTC Branch 274 Judge Regina Paz Ramos Chavez found her brother Nelson guilty of killing their father in September 2013. The court sentenced Nelson to reclusion perpetua. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The son of businessman Antonio P. Antonio was found guilty of parricide by the Parañaque City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
Antonio’n daughter Xialen confirmed to INQUIRER.net on Thursday that her brother Nelson has been convicted of murdering their father more than a decade ago and sentenced to reclusion perpetua.
The guilty verdict was ordered by Parañaque City RTC Branch 274 Judge Regina Paz Ramos Chavez, according to Xialen.
READ: Despite 10-year wait, family of slain tycoon remains hopeful in PH justice system
“Ang hatol po ay guilty beyond reasonable doubt, and ang sentence ay reclusion perpetua,” Xialen said in a phone interview.
(The verdict is guilty beyond reasonable doubt, and the sentence is reclusion perpetua.)
“Kami po’y masaya dahil nga po pinaghirapan din po namin ‘yung paghuli sa kanya (We are happy because we also worked hard to catch him),” she also said, adding they did not have the chance to speak with Nelson during the case promulgation in court.
The late Antonio, who was “Tonton” to his close friends and family, was shot by Nelson inside his BF Homes residence due to a conflict in inheritance on September 11, 2013.
READ: Filipino fugitive wanted for parricide arrested in Dubai
Antonio, then 63 years old, sustained six gunshot wounds and eventually died in a hospital.
His death attracted broad attention because he was a known successful and well-connected businessman. Interest in this case grew especially since the attacker was his son and the apparent motive was inheritance, which many thought could only happen in a soap opera or movie.
The quest for justice in this case spanned 10 years as it encountered a series of hurdles.
Reports showed that Nelson initially surrendered to the Parañaque City police but was later transferred to the Las Piñas City police. However, Nelson was eventually released from detention due to a conflict in the jurisdiction.
A parricide case was then filed against Nelson. But he already fled the country when the charge was lodged in December 2013. Nelson hid for five years before authorities captured him and brought him back to the Philippines in 2018.
Court proceedings, however, met delays because the first two judges inhibited from trying the case. In 2022, Parañaque City RTC Branch 274 was assigned to conduct the trial.