Filipino suspect extradited to Hong Kong for murder case

Philippine authorities surrendered a Filipino citizen accused of killing an American couple of Chinese descent to members of the Hong Kong police on Friday. Magno Cruz Manalili, a suspect in an April 2003 Hong Kong murder case, was extradited to the Chinese special administrative zone to face charges, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official said. Accompanied by Hong Kong police, the suspect will be flown to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific airlines flight CX918 at 5:55 p.m. Manalili was turned over by agent Rugy de Veyra to Hong Kong authorities who are investigating his alleged involvement in the murders of Ng Kamong and Sun King-man. The victims, US citizens but of Chinese descent, were reportedly killed by Manalili in their house at 151 Pai Tau Village between April 12 and 13, 2003. The couple, who died of multiple stab wounds, was last seen returning to their house at 9 p.m. of April 12 after having dinner out with friends. Manalili was last seen in the couple’s premises at 6 p.m. of April 12, NBI Interpol Division Chief Claro de Castro Jr. said. “It is believed that they were killed shortly thereafter because they were found wearing the same clothing as they dined out with friends," said De Castro in his report. At 11 p.m. that same night, Manalili then paid a surprise visit to a friend who lived in the neighborhood, complaining that he was unable to sleep in his own quarters, which is located near the couple’s house. On April 13, 2003, the suspect was seen entering and exiting his quarters on various occasions. He was also seen leaving the village with a traveling bag in a hurry at 12 noon. At around two in the afternoon, he purchased a one-way ticket to the first available flight to Manila, allowing him to leave Hong Kong at 5:25 p.m. of April 13, 2003. In June 2003, the Hong Kong Magistrate Tong Man of the Magistrate’s Court of Shatin, Hong Kong, issued an arrest warrant against Manalili. Two counts of murder were also later filed against the suspect. Hong Kong authorities later requested Philippine authorities for the suspect’s provisional arrest. During the same month, a request for Manalili’s arrest was sent to the NBI from then-justice undersecretary Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez, citing an Agreement for the Surrender of Accused and Convicted persons between the Republic of the Philippines and the Hongkong SAR (Special Administrative Region). On June 11, 2003, Judge Vicente Hidalgo of the Manila Regional Trial Court — to whom the case was raffled — issued the arrest order. Five days later, a four-man team of Interpol agents was later dispatched to Manalili’s hometown in Brgy. Palinlang in Arayat, Pampanga. But authorities were only able to arrest the suspect in Ilocos Norte on December 13, 2004. The suspect was then placed under the custody of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crimes in Camp Crame, until his transfer to the Interpol Division of the NBI. During all court proceedings, the Office of the Chief State Counsel of the Department of Justice appeared for and in behalf of the Hongkong SAR, NBI’s De Castro said. In March 2010, after six years of detention in NBI facilities, Judge Virgilio Macaraig, Branch 37 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila, issued an Order granting the petition for extradition to Hongkong SAR. — RJAB Jr./LBG, GMANews.TV