Kua brother points to different suspect

Nixon Kua

CAMP VICENTE LIM—Allyxon Kua, the brother of slain Philippine Tourism Authority chief and columnist Nixon Kua, named his landscaper as the main suspect in the attack that killed his brother.

In a sworn statement that Allyxon executed on August 6 before the Laguna Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), he named a certain Raymond, his and his brother’s landscape artist, as the only one, except for family members, who had knowledge that Nixon carried cash the night they were attacked on July 21 at Allyxon’s home in Ayala’s Greenfield Estate, an upscale subdivision in Calamba City, Laguna.

“Only he (Raymond) knew that Nixon paid the workers constructing his house in the same village on Saturdays,” read Allyxon’s statement, a copy of which was furnished Inquirer on Thursday by lawyer Ryan Muro.

Muro had also identified the landscape artist as a certain Raymond Maron, a resident of La Mesa village in Calamba City.

Muro, the defense counsel of suspects John Rey Cortez, Darwin Samiano, Noel Garcia, and Michael Molino, filed a counter affidavit at the Calamba City prosecutor’s office on August 11 arguing that his clients were mere “fall guys.”

“It seems that the investigation was done hastily, excuse me, but just so they could hold a press conference (announcing that the case had been solved). My theory was that they were just fall guys,” he said.

He said his clients, now in police custody, have never met Maron.

He also said his clients have been named suspects by the police even before Nixon’s family executed their statement.

“The crime took place on July 21. The following day, the police officers from Calamba (City) had filed charges with an affidavit naming the three (Cortez, Samiano, Garcia) as suspects. They later added Molino (to the list) when (Nixon’s family) claimed there were four suspects. How could that be possible?” Muro said.

He said Nixon’s wife, Susan, had executed her sworn statement only in the afternoon of July 23 and identified his clients based on photos shown to her by the police.

The suspects, who were turned over to authorities by their families and village officials in the evening of July 23, were facing arrest warrants a court issued also in July for a 2009 rape case.

Muro believed this could have been used by police to mark his clients as suspects.

“Positive identification is still stronger than any alibi. They were identified not just by (Nixon’s) wife but also by the kids who were there during the commission (of the crime),” said Laguna police director Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz.

Senior Superintendent Bernabe Balba, CIDG chief in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), said police earlier “invited” Maron for questioning but found no evidence tying him to the case.

“The case has been submitted to court so let’s just let the court decide,” Cruz said.