Quezon City court to rule on kidnap-slay of Coca-Cola executive

MANILA, Philippines – A Quezon City regional trial court judge is set to hand down on Tuesday his decision on the case of a Coca-Cola executive who was abducted and later found shot dead in Parañaque six years ago.

The Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) Citizens Action Against Crime said in a statement that after one year and one month, Judge Alexander Balut is set to promulgate the kidnap for ransom with homicide case against 21 suspects involved in the killing of Betti Chua Sy last Nov. 17, 2003.

“The prosecution and the Sy family together with supporters and MRPO are confident that all the accused will be convicted and meted the maximum penalty,” the statement said.

Among the respondent in the case are Romeo Dacallos, Ramon Demol, Ernesto Palla, Lucencio Saliente, Edith Alaser, Benedicta De Lima, Ramil Victoriano, Mariolito Demol, Rodrigo Artoza, Gerado Anover, Sergio Macanip, Alijandro Aldas, Jose Artoza, Fidel Superable, Silverio Superable, Hector Cornista, Alvin Labra, Dominador Cornista, Renato Superable, Cesar Armado, and a certain Hunks Cornista.

Court records state that Sy, an executive at the Coca-Cola Export Corp. in Makati City, was driving her RAV-4 on her way to work at around 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2003 when she ws shot along De la Cruz street in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Sy, who was wounded and appeared to be unconscious, was transferred to a Toyota Tamaraw FX taxi and her vehicle was abandoned along Biak-na-Bato street.

At about 12:30 p.m. the same day, Sy’s brother received a telephone call, with the unidentified caller demanding a P10-million ransom in exchange for Sy’s release.

However, shortly before dawn on Nov. 18, a security guard found an unidentified body wrapped in a plastic bag along Marina Bay Homes in Parañaque City. The body turned out to be Sy’s.

The next day, Dacallos, the driver of the FX taxi, surrendered to authorities and revealed the identities and whereabout of Sy’s alleged kidnappers.

The MRPC said several of the suspects who are still at large have rewards for their capture. – Perseus Echeminada