Delgado kin charged with murder

The Manila Police District (MPD) has upgraded the charges against Luisito Gonzalez to murder and frustrated murder in connection with the killing of his stepbrother, Federico Delgado.

Manila police earlier recommended robbery with homicide and frustrated homicide charges against Gonzalez, but was told that the robbery charges could not be substantiated in court since the amount of valuables and cash allegedly taken by the suspects could not be ascertained.

"So we dropped the robbery charges, but (this) may also crop up during the hearing of the case," said Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr., who heads the MPD’s homicide section.

Also included in the charge sheet is Antonio Buenaflor, 50, Gonzalez’s driver-bodyguard. Police investigators believe Buenaflor was Gonzalez’s accomplice in killing Delgado.

Police also said they were informed it was Buenaflor who facilitated Gonzalez’s escape from his confinement at Makati Medical Center (MMC) last March 19.

"Our witness can identify the other suspect since she has vividly recalled the voice of one of their attackers. When shown a photo of Buenaflor, she said his eyes looked familiar to her even with his ski mask on," Yanquiling said.

Yanquiling also said he was told that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez has approved the hold departure order on Gonzalez. The Bureau of Immigration has also placed Gonzalez on its watchlist, he added.

The MPD is also endorsing its main witness, Annalisa Peseco, 20, Federico’s alleged girlfriend, to be placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program.

Peseco identified Gonzalez as one of two men who fatally stabbed Delgado last March 10 at the fourth floor of the family owned Mayflower building in Malate, Manila. She was also wounded in the attack.

Gonzalez’s lawyer, Perry Pe, said his client could not have been involved in the crime since he was confined at the MMC from March 7 to 18 and heavily sedated due to depression arising from his mother’s death.

Pe said he has a certificate issued by the hospital showing that Gonzalez had been confined for this period.

"This is not an issue about the Delgados and the Gonzalezes. No one among the members of the two families is involved here. Let’s not make them fight," he said, adding that the police should focus on identifying and finding the real killers.

Pe denied that Gonzalez escaped from the hospital, saying his client was transferred from the hospital basement upon the advice of his doctors since the facility – primarily a drug abuse rehabilitation center – is not appropriate for his condition.

"Louie is not well and will need professional care to regain his emotional equilibrium. He has no history whatsoever of violence. Neither is he a greedy person who only cares about inheritance and money," he said.

Yanquiling showed The STAR a letter from the Delgado family giving him blanket authority to file the necessary charges against his killers.