MANILA, Philippines—The Parañaque police Task Force Ramgen is awaiting resolution of a preliminary investigation by the Parañaque Prosecutors’ Office which will determine what course of action to take on the murder of Ramgen Bautista (Ramgen Revilla in showbiz), whose death has been linked to two of his own siblings.
“Now that Mara (Ma. Ramona Bautista) is out of the country, it’s up to the prosecution how to interpret that act while the case is ongoing. We have submitted our report and we are ready for the next move,” Parañaque police chief Senior Superintendent Billy Beltran said.
“I have no comment on Ramona’s untimely trip to Hong Kong, but we are continuing our investigation,” he said.
Beltran said the police had no power to issue a hold-departure order against Ramona.
Maria Ramona “Mara” Bautista, 22, a younger sister of Ramgen, boarded Cathay Pacific Flight CX 902 bound for Hong Kong at around 9 p.m. Friday, according to airport officials.
“[Ramona’s] flight to Hong Kong has no bearing on the investigation, but we will let the prosecutor decide on how to interpret that act,” he said.
Beltran said if the prosecution determines probable cause and seeks a warrants for the arrest of Ramona and three other suspects, they will have to seek assistance from her family and the national police to bring her home.
Beltran said that the police had gotten leads on the whereabouts of the other suspects but would on act on the case when the arrest warrants are issued by the proper court.
The alleged gunmen—Michael Jay Altea and Roy Francis Tolisora—were arrested on October 31, while the brother suspect, 18-year-old Ramon Joseph “RJ” Bautista, was arrested and detained by the Parañaque police on November 1.
Three other suspects—a certain Bryan, Norwin and Glaiza—are considered “facilitators” in the search for the hired gunmen and “coordinators” in executing the plot, according to Beltran.
Fergen Torred, Parañaque police intelligence chief, said that Ramona’s flight out of the country will pose problems in the preliminary investigation.
“The preliminary investigation is set for Nov. 8. how will she [Ramona] give her side of the story and how will she give her ‘signed’ counter-affidavit now to answer the charges?,” he said.
Beltran added that other information has surfaced since RJ’s arrest and inclusion of Ramona in the charge sheet as a suspect on November 1.
He said a television interview in which Ramona took back an earlier statement in which she claimed she had been abducted could be used against her.
“It was on record. The public heard it,” he said.
The Parañaque police chief also added that they still maintain heavy security detail on the Muntinlupa hospital where Janelle Manahan is confined.
Janelle, who was herself shot and seriously injured, was the girlfriend of Ramgen, and is considered a vital witness.
In an interview with ANC before she left for Hong Kong on Friday night, Ramona retracted her own statement about being abducted, saying she wanted to “save herself” and was not in the “proper state of mind” when she made the earlier statement.
Ramona recounted that she went home and saw Ramgen in the lanai. Later, when she thought of making a video for a brother at the Philippine Military Academy, she knocked on Ramgen’s bedroom door. The door was opened by Janelle although she espied Ramgen near the bed.
Ramona denied that there was an assailant waiting near the door. She said they were even talking and was just there to get the video.
She added that she was inside when the masked gunman came into view but didn’t get inside the room. Ramona said the gunman shot Janelle first then Ram demanded the identity of the masked man by asking “Sino ka? (Who are you?).
Ramona said Ram fought closed the door on the masked man. She added that Ramgen was the main reason she was alive. She said she didn’t see Janelle being shot but only “heard a gunshot” and heard Ram shout “Aray.”
When asked if she was an accomplice, Ramona denied it, saying she tried to help Janelle.
Ramona contradicted Janelle’s statement, saying she did not say “Tama na (That’s enough)” to the assailant.
“Huh? I said ‘that’s enough?’ That’s not true. I can’t do that. If I said that, I don’t remember. If I said ‘that’s enough’, it’s because I can’t take what that man was doing to my brother anymore. Anyone who’s in my situation would have said the same thing,” she said.
Ramona confirmed that she did not call for ambulance. She explained that in between cries for help, she offered to drive Janelle to the hospital and asked for Ram’s car keys.
“Janelle was not responding to my questions at that point, so I was scared and ran outside,” she said.
Ramona also retracted her own previous statement that she was abducted by two men.
Ramona said she called her other sister who was in a coffee shop nearby but decided to run to get a car and never looked back at their home.
“All I thought was to get away from the house because the killer was there. I didn’t know if the killer was still there or not. I didn’t get any help from others and I don’t know if I could trust other people. All I know is that I could only trust my siblings,” she said.
When pressed on the abduction issue she gave to the Las Piñas police, Ramona answered that she was not in the proper state of mind. She added that she main concern was to save herself and get away from the house.
“When I learned that Janelle was saved, I felt bad that I left them there dying. I didn’t know if they were alive or not, that’s why I left. I am ashamed to say to my family and the whole world that I left them there dying. If I didn’t panic, maybe things would have happened differently,” she said.