Pempengco slay suspect admits to crime, asks for forgiveness

MANILA, Philippines—The suspect in the killing of Ricky Pempengco, estranged father of international singer Charice, admitted to the crime on Thursday, but said he killed Pempengco in self-defense.

Construction worker Angel Capili Jr., 35, surrendered to authorities Thursday and was taken to the national Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, where reporters interviewed him.

In an aired interview over Radyo Inquirer 990 AM, Capili said Pempengco first punched him after they figured in an altercation along a road in Laram village in San Pedro, Laguna, last Monday. He said he retaliated in self-defense, adding that they did not know each other.

Capili asked for forgiveness from the bereaved family of Pempengco, adding that he was willing to pay for his crime. “Handa naman akong pagdusahan ang pagkakamali ko (I am ready to suffer for my wrongdoing),” Capili said in the interview aired over Radyo Inquirer.

In the interview, he also said that he had no intention of hiding but that he was just looking for an opportunity to confide in a person of authority who would advise him with his problem.

Capili later surrendered to Rolando Pagkaliwangan, captain of Barangay (village) Santiago in Gen. Trias, Cavite, in Baclaran, Parañaque City, at around 12 p.m. on Thursday. Pagkaliwangan said that he knew the suspect’s wife through her sibling who was a resident of Barangay Santiago.

Pagkaliwangan had urged Capili’s wife to help in persuading her husband to surrender.

Chief Superintendent Gil Meneses, Calabarzon police director, said the suspect hid in various areas in Calabarzon before he surrendered. According to Capili, he eventually went to Manila where he just loitered around.

Pagkaliwangan recalled during an interview how Capili told him that Pempengco punched him first and that when the Pempengco raised his fist to hit him again even as Capili said he tried to back away, Capili took out his screwdriver and stabbed Pempengco with it.

According to Pagkaliwangan, the suspect did not know who he had stabbed. Capili only realized who he had killed when he saw the reports on television, Pagkaliwangan said.

Pagkaliwangan said that after negotiations were made through the suspect’s wife, he met Capili at a fast-food restaurant in Baclaran around 12 noon Thursday.

He then turned him over to Gen. Trias, Cavite, Mayor Luis “Jon-Jon” Ferrer IV, since Pagkaliwangan said the suspect “did not want to surrender to police.”

The P200,000 bounty on Angel Capili Jr.’s head has been given to Pagkaliwangan.

A handcuffed Capili, clad in a white shirt and jeans, was led into the National Headquarters in Camp Crame and presented to police officials and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo at around 4 p.m.

Shortly after, Charice arrived aboard a blue SUV but did not face the media.—With Jamie Marie Elona