Alleged mastermind denies killing Pastor

MANILA, Philippines - Businessman Domingo “Sandy” de Guzman went to the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday and denied killing champion car racer Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor last June 12.

Accompanied by lawyer Dennis Manalo, he appeared at the DOJ and subscribed to his formal answer to the murder charge before the investigating panel of prosecutors and to ask that the case against him be dismissed. 

In his 16-page counter-affidavit, De Guzman said the confession of gunman Police Officer 2 Edgar Angel tagging him as the mastermind in the killing was an “imaginary episode by the police to create a malicious criminal charge against me.”

He said Angel recanted his confession, claiming that his previous statement was part of a “script” by the police. The DOJ panel, however, did not consider it in approving the murder charge against the policeman.

Blindfolded, threatened

The alleged mastermind claimed that his arrest at a gasoline station in Muntinlupa City in an entrapment operation last Aug. 26 was an illegal warrantless arrest. 

To prove this, he submitted copies of closed-circuit television footage from the gas station and a nearby auto shop showing that he was arrested before the supposed payment of P50,000 “bonus” to Angel – contrary to claims of the police that he was caught in the act of handing the money to the gunman. 

“I must stress that immediately after I was accosted, I was thrown in a car and was blindfolded. Inside the car, I heard a gun cock and felt it pointed at my head while the police officers repeatedly said, ‘Aminin mo na kasi na ikaw ang nagpapatay (Admit that you ordered his killing)!’ By their threats, the police officers tried to force me to admit to the killing of Enzo Pastor,” De Guzman claimed.

He also said the testimony of Pastor’s nanny, Chona Domen, about his extramarital affair with Pastor’s widow, Daliah, cannot be used to charge him with murder.

“Her testimonies simply alleged my supposed illicit affair with Daliah Pastor. Nowhere, however, does she state that I planned the killing of Enzo Pastor. A claim of illicit relationship does not constitute conspiracy to the crimes of murder (of Enzo Pastor) and frustrated murder (of Paolo Salazar, Pastor’s aide),” De Guzman said.

Daliah, on the other hand, did not appear in the preliminary investigation hearing. Her lawyer, Ruy Rondain, submitted a memorandum saying his client would not answer the parricide charge due to the supposed lack of a formal complaint and statement against her.

“We only received the referral of the police. There was no sworn statement so the factual charges are insufficient. There’s nothing to answer or deny, Rondain explained to reporters after the hearing.

Proof of guilt

Pastor’s mother, Remy, believes that Daliah’s refusal to appear in the DOJ hearing could be proof that she is trying to run away from the case.

Remy revealed that her daughter-in-law even attempted to stop their family from reporting the killing to the police, bolstering her suspicion that Daliah had something to do with the incident.

“The day my son was killed, she said, ‘No mom, don’t go, don’t go to the police. It’s just a random shooting, please.’ So I already knew then,” she recalled.

Remy said Daliah has lost her chance to prove her innocence by not answering the parricide charge against her. 

The DOJ panel had set a final hearing next month for the filing of the reply of the complainants to the answer of De Guzman and the manifestation of Daliah.