2 suspects in Kae Davantes slay admit robbery, not killing

When the charges against them were read in court Thursday, suspects Reggie Diel and Lloyd Enriquez admitted to taking part in robbing Kristelle “Kae” Davantes but not in killing her.

Because of their “qualified plea” to the complex crime of robbery-homicide, Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 253 Judge Salvador Timbang Jr. entered a not guilty plea on their behalf.

Diel and Enriquez were the first of six suspects to be arraigned in connection with the killing of the 25-year-old advertising executive. However, public prosecutors amended Thursday the information filed in court by including the names of four more suspects.

Named as corespondents along with Diel and Enriquez were Samuel Decimo, Jomar Pepito, Jorek Evangelista and Baser Minalang. Of the six, only Minalang remains at large.

Davantes was found dead under a bridge in Silang, Cavite, in the early morning of Sept. 7, several hours after a night-out with her friends in Taguig City. Her car and valuables were missing although the vehicle would be recovered eight days later at a subdivision in Las Piñas City where she also lived.

Based on a tip, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation arrested in Cavite province Decimo who said that he and the others were looking for someone to rob when they chanced upon Davantes as she was opening the gate to her family’s house in Moonwalk Subdivision. Diel, Pepito and Evangelista later surrendered while Enriquez was arrested.

Acting on a request from the public defense lawyer, the judge ordered all the suspects transferred to the Las Piñas City jail.

The other respondents are expected to be arraigned during the next hearing set on Nov. 7.