No bail for Kua slay suspects

MANILA, Philippines - A prosecutor recommended no bail yesterday for the four suspects in the killing of former tourism official and STAR reporter Nixon Kua last July 21.

Assistant city prosecutor Angelina Orendain of the Canlubang City Regional Trial Court (RTC) denied bail for suspects Darwin Saminiano, 20; John Rey Cortez, 22; Noel Garcia, 23, and Michael Molino, 21, who, in the presence of their preferred counsel, waived their right to a preliminary investigation.

Senior Superintendent Bernabe Balba, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 4-A chief, said they will make a representation before Judge Maria Florencia Formes-Baculo of the Canlubang City RTC Branch 34, where the suspects are facing rape charges, for authority to commit the suspects at the detention center of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Laguna.

The four suspects are currently detained at the CIDG office in Camp Vicente Lim in Canlubang City.

Judge Baculo also denied the four suspects bail for raping their 21-year-old classmate in 2009.

Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, Laguna police director, said the four suspects were raising money to settle with their rape victim out of court and the robbery of Kua was hatched with the aid of an insider.

Earlier, Cruz claimed he already had the identity of the insider but he refrained from naming him for fear of jeopardizing ongoing follow-up operations.

He gave hint, however, that the insider is one of the eight workers doing landscaping work at the new house of Kua.

Wake-up call

Meanwhile, Senators Sergio Osmeña III and Francis Pangilinan said Kua’s death should serve as a wake-up call for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to improve efforts in preventing crime in the country.

“Kua’s death accentuates the pressing need for our law enforcement authorities to seriously improve crime prevention throughout the country. The nation shall not tolerate a repeat of such senseless death,” Osmeña, who worked with Kua in the last elections, said.

Pangilinan said he was also deeply saddened Kua’s death.

“The circumstances surrounding his death reveals that we still have a lot of work ahead to ensure that criminality, lawlessness and disrespect for our laws is stamped out,” the senator said.

He said criminality and lawlessness would be significantly reduced if there is swift conviction and punishment of the guilty in a functioning and effective justice system.

“Putting fear in the hearts of would-be criminals is the best deterrent to crime, and this can only be done when the guilty are punished swiftly and resolutely,” Pangilinan said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, National Food Authority chief Lito Banayo and former press undersecretary Ike Gutierrez, who had all worked with the late newsman, paid their last respects Monday night at The Sanctuarium in Quezon City.

The family will announce Kua’s interment rites later.

National Press Club (NPC) president Benny Antiporda said Kua will be given burial honors at the NPC building in Intramuros, Manila after cremation.