Gunman in Dominic Sytin slay gets up to 40 years

An Olongapo City court has sentenced the confessed gunman in the killing of businessman Dominic Sytin to up to 40 years in prison for murder.

Edgardo Luib, who admitted to the crime because he was "bothered by his conscience," was also found guilty of frustrated murder for the near-fatal shooting of Sytin's bodyguard, Efren Espartero, and sentenced to six to 12 years of imprisonment.

Sytin, the CEO of United Auctioneers, Inc., was murdered in front of a hotel in Subic on the evening of November 28, 2018.

His own brother, businessman Alan Dennis Sytin, and one Ryan Rementilla alias Oliver Fuentes were charged alongside Luib. Dennis and Rementilla are at large.

Luib was arrested last March based on a warrant for another murder case. Under police custody, he executed an affidavit confessing to the crime. In court, he pleaded guilty, detailed why and how he killed Sytin, and identified the gun he used.

The court admitted Luib's confession as evidence after finding that it was "freely and voluntarily made."

"There is no evidence adduced that accused Luib was forced, threatened, intimidated or promised any monetary consideration to admit authorship to the killing of Dominic Sytin," Judge Richard Paradeza ruled.

Luib testimony

In his testimony, Luib said Dennis, the late businessman's estranged brother, who hired him to commit the crime.

He said he was introduced as a hitman to Dennis by Rementilla, his childhood friend and kumpare.

Dennis allegedly told Luib that he had learned Dominic "was supposed to file a rape case against him" and "refuses to give his share in their company."

Luib testified that he suggested that the brothers settle the problem on their own, but that Dennis "ignored him and then exposed his plan on how to kill Dominic Sytin."

He said he was promised a Hyundai Tucson and an "undetermined amount of money," according to the court's decision.

On November 28, 2018, he said he used a silencer in shooting Dominic, who had just alighted from his vehicle. He said he also shot Espartero, who had fired at him when he saw his boss lying on the ground.

Espartero sustained multiple gunshot wounds. In court, he identified Luib as the gunman.

Dennis had earlier said he will appeal his indictment before the office of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

He said he "never intended or planned to kill or to have my brother killed." He claimed instead that Rementilla, a "disgruntled" former employee of United Auctioneers, was behind the murder. —NB, GMA News