New witness corroborates details on Ram Revilla slay

The new witness in the killing of the half-brother of Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Ramgen “Ram" Revilla, has executed an affidavit corroborating alleged details on the planning and commission of the murder. In his sworn statement, witness Loyd Comeda said suspect Norwin dela Cruz asked him on October 9 to find a gunman to kill an unidentified person. He added that star witness Ruel Puzon again asked him on October 21 to find new gunmen after suspects Michael Nartea and Roy Francis Tolisora supposedly failed in their first attempt to commit the crime. “Dito ay akin tinanong kung bakit sila naghahanap ng birador para pumatay ng tao… Sabi daw ni Norwin at Glaiza [referring to another suspect, Glaiza Vista], nanggulpi raw ng nanay at salbahe raw talaga ang ugali ng taong gusto nilang ipapatay," he said in his sworn statement. Comeda further said that Puzon informed him five days before the murder on October 28 that the person they are planning to kill is Ramgen, and that the victim’s siblings are behind the murder plot. “Sinabi naman niya [Puzon] na ang nagpapapatay ay mga kapatid na kasama niya sa loob ng bahay… Sabi ko, gwapings ‘yan at delikado ‘yan," he said. He added that he decided to distance himself from Puzon and the others who were plotting to kill Ram after learning that their target was a member of the Revilla clan. He likewise said that he decided to serve as witness to the crime after out of fear for his life. “Kinabahan po ako at natatakot dahil napag-alaman ko na itong namatay na si Ramgen Revilla ay iyong madalas kong naririnig na pinapapatay ng mga kapatid niya sa tropa ko," he said. Comeda executed his affidavit on Tuesday at the Paranaque City prosecutor’s office during the preliminary investigation on complaints filed by the police against seven suspects in the crime. Aside from the alleged gunmen and their supposed recruiters, the other suspects include Ramgen’s siblings Ramona and Ramon Joseph or “RJ," and a certain Bryan. RJ was arrested last Monday, while Ramona left the country on Friday, and believed to be en route to Turkey. She left days after she and her brother were slapped with murder and frustrated murder complaints for the death of their brother and the injuries sustained by his girlfriend, Janelle Manahan. The preliminary investigation on the murder and frustrated murder complaints was set to resume Wednesday afternoon while RJ is set to be arraigned in court on November 16. — ELR, GMA News