Car theft gang’s ‘hit man’ pleads not guilty

The alleged hitman of the Dominguez car theft syndicate was arraigned Monday during which he pleaded not guilty to last year’s killing of a car dealer.

Rolando Talban appeared before Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 Judge Maria Rita Sarabia where he stood by his statement that he had no participation in the murder of Venson Evangelista on Jan. 13, 2011.

Talban stands accused of car theft with homicide along with Jayson Miranda and brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez—the alleged leaders of a notorious carjacking gang.

Evangelista’s charred remains were found on January 14 in an irrigation canal in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. The day before, he had disappeared after he agreed to meet a potential buyer who wanted to test-drive one of the vehicles he was selling.

During the arraignment, assistant city prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo asked that a joint pretrial conference for all the accused, including Talban, be held at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.