Witness: RJ Bautista met suspects on plot to kill Ramgen

Ramon Joseph “RJ” Bautista, one of the suspects in the killing of his brother Ramgen on October 28 last year, discussed the murder plot on at least two occasions with one of the alleged killers.

This was according to prosecution witness Ruel Puzon, who claimed he was one of those initially recruited to kill Ramgen and that he later distanced himself from the plan against the aspiring actor and son of former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr.

Puzon spent about two hours on the witness stand at the Parañaque Regional Trial Court-Branch 274, his head often bowed as he recounted how suspect Ryan Pastera allegedly asked him to be part of the group hired to kill Ramgen.

The killing was supposed to be carried out on October 12, the same day he received a photo of Ramgen, he said.

Two days later, Puzon said, he, another suspect Micheal Nartea, Pastera and RJ met in a van to discuss the plot. “[Pastera] had a companion (who) was in the driver’s seat,” he said in his direct examination by prosecutor Apolinar Quetulio.

Asked to identify who the companion was and whether that person was present in court, Puzon stood up and pointed to RJ, who was then seated next to Pastera.

At that time, Puzon said, he was not yet aware of RJ’s full identity or his relation to the plot’s target. During  the meeting in the van, he and Nartea received P19,000 as initial payment from Pastera, he added.

Puzon said he saw Pastera and Nartea again at around 3 a.m. on October 17 when they went to BF Homes, Parañaque City, to  familiarize themselves with Ramgen’s house.

“He showed us the route we should take,” Puzon said, as Pastera threw sharp glances at him. While observing Ramgen’s house from outside, Pastera spoke to someone on the phone, he said.

Puzon said the person on the other end of the line was RJ.

On October 19, Puzon said he met again with Nartea and the other suspects to discuss how they would finish off  Ramgen if the latter manages to escape from the house. “That was my last meeting with them, but Michael still talked to me (on the phone) after that, saying that they would soon finish the job.”

After the murder, Puzon said, he voluntarily went to the police to admit what he knew of the plan. “At that time, I was just in for the ride … for the money,”  he stressed.

He said he only came to know RJ’s full name when the latter surrendered to the police after Ramgen was killed at his BF Homes residence on the night of October 28. Ramgen’s girlfriend, Janelle Manahan, was seriously injured in the attack.