An accused in the killing of car dealer Venson Evangelista who reportedly escaped from his custodians has already turned himself in to authorities, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Wednesday.
De Lima said that Alfred Mendiola escaped from his custodians in Quezon City last Tuesday, but turned himself in at the Bulacan Provincial Jail the next day.
Mendiola has been placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program as he was being considered as a state witness against Raymond and Roger Dominguez, the alleged leaders of the Dominguez car theft syndicate.
The group is supposedly behind Evangelista's killing last January.
Despite being covered by the WPP, Mendiola is still included among the accused in the Evangelista murder case because the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 has yet to remove him from the charge sheet.
Strict rules
De Lima said Mendiola had been complaining that he no longer wanted to stay in the safehouse given to him by the WPP because of the strict rules imposed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), which supervises the program. She said Mendiola wanted easy access from his visitors.
At a court hearing on Tuesday, Mendoza’s camp requested that he be transferred to the Bulacan jail. The Quezon City court did not grant his request.
After the hearing, Mendiola told his custodians that he will use the rest room at a fast-food restaurant. But instead of returning to the vehicle, Mendiola reportedly “created a scene and escaped," De Lima said.
De Lima said she found out about Mendiola’s surrender after she contacted Mendiola’s lawyer on Wednesday morning. “He (Mendiola) does not want to return to our safehouse anymore," she said.
De Lima: Mendiola remains under WPP
De Lima said she will consult with the prosecutors handling the Evangelista murder case regarding the possible revocation of the WPP’s coverage on Mendiola.
“Strictly speaking, he violated WPP rules. His escape is already a violation. So strictly speaking, that is a ground for revocation. But I cannot just revoke the coverage. I still have to consult with the prosecutors, because this might jeopardize the case," she said.
De Lima also said they could not grant Mendiola’s request. “We cannot do that because of security concerns. Remember, we are up against a syndicate! We cannot let these dictate us. Hindi pwedeng lahat ng luho nila ay automatically binibigay sa kanila. May rules and limitations."
She added that Mendiola cannot stay at the Bulacan jail because it is not under the jurisdiction of the QC Regional Trial Court, which is handling the murder case against him and other members of the Dominguez car theft syndicate.
De Lima likewise said that it is the QC court that will ultimately decide whether Mendiola can stay at the Bulacan jail. — KBK
