Revilla house inspection reset over 'lapse'

MANILA, Philippines - An ocular inspection of slain actor Ram Revilla’s house in BF Homes, Parañaque yesterday was reset after the judge handling the murder trial found out the suspects in the case were not present during the proceeding.

Judge Fortunito Madrona of Regional Trial Court Branch 274, who led the inspection along President Avenue yesterday afternoon, was himself surprised by the “lapse” and immediately suggested a resetting.

“They (accused) have to be notified because this is an official court proceeding. That is the right of the accused,” Madrona told his staff and the lawyers of both the defense and prosecution camps.

He did not accept the suggestion for the accused to be simply represented by their lawyers.

“Yes, they represent them but they are not the accused. Do they have a waiver for the accused? Do they?” the judge said, looking irritated.

According to Madrona, the ocular inspection is necessary to establish the “probability and improbability of the crime.” The proceeding, he added, will aid the court, the defense, and the prosecution in visualizing the testimonies of the witnesses.

The judge had just finished inspecting the house’s facade, including its distance from the guardhouse, when Madrona looked for the witnesses and the accused. He was told the suspects “were not notified” by the court.

The six suspects include Revilla’s brother, Ramon Joseph, 18; alleged gunmen Roy Francis Tolisora and Michael Nartea; and alleged middlemen Glaiza Visda, Ryan Pastera, and Norween de la Cruz. A seventh suspect, Revilla’s sister, Ramona, fled to Turkey and remains at large.

Visda’s lawyer, Claire Castro, also objected for the inspection to proceed without the presence of the six suspects. The ocular inspection was reset to April 17.

She said it is “very important” for six to witness the procedure “because they might have an objection or know things we lawyers do not know.”

Revilla (Ramgen Bautista in real life) was shot and stabbed on Oct. 28, 2011 in his room by a man wearing a mask. Police witnesses and two of the suspects claimed that his being a bad brother was the motive for his murder.

He was with his girlfriend Janelle Manahan, who was also shot in the face during the attack. She survived and pressed frustrated murder charges against the seven accused.

Breaking down

Manahan, who was present yesterday, broke down when she inspected Revilla’s room and saw the actor’s video message for brother Ram-ram was being played.

“What is that for? What’s the purpose?” Manahan’s lawyer, Resty Mendoza, told The STAR. He said Manahan already told Revilla’s family “to turn off the video, but they didn’t do it. She ended up weeping.”

It was the first time Manahan went back into the house since the crime took place. She cried in Revilla’s bathroom and asked the members of media to leave.

Revilla’s younger brother, Reuben, said everything in the room was “preserved.” He added that nobody lives there anymore and they would only check the house once or twice a month.

A bloodied pillow and a pair of Manahan’s shoes – which were supposed to be retrieved by the crime scene investigators, according to the actress’ lawyer, Argee Guevarra – were on the floor. The bedsheets and the floor, however, were clean.

In an interview with The STAR, Manahan said it was a different feeling stepping back inside the house, where she had been staying with Revilla since she was 17. She also told reporters that the bloodstain on sofa belonged to Revilla.

“I was shaking (when I got here),” she said. “But I don’t want the people to think that I’m creating a scene.”