2 suspects in Ram Revilla slay case pin Ramona, RJ during prelim probe

The two suspects in the killing of Ramgen “Ram" Revilla, half-brother of Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., attended the preliminary investigation on the case on Wednesday and pinned the victim’s siblings—Ramona and Ramon Joseph or “RJ" Bautista — in the crime. In his sworn statement, Michael Nartea said RJ was in the car with him during their first attempt to kill Ram on Oct. 11. He said he and another suspect, Roy Francis Tolisora, backed out when they learned that their target was a member of the Revilla clan. “Pareho na kaming kinabahan dahil natatakot kami sa litrato ni Senator Revilla Sr. na nasa ibabaw ng piano dahil sa nanlilisik nitong mata," he said in his affidavit that he executed before the Parañaque City Prosecutor’s Office. Nartea was referring to former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr., also a former actor that appeared in numerous action movies. Second try Nartea further said that he and Tolisora tried to kill Ram again later that night, but it did not push through because Ram heard them enter the house and called for security. He said it was Ramona who drove the Mitsubishi Montero car that brought them to BF Homes Subdivision in Parañaque where Ram’s house is located. Days later, or on Oct. 28, Ram was stabbed and shot inside the house. His girlfriend, Janelle Manahan, was also attacked but survived the incident. She is currently recuperating at a hospital. RJ is already in police custody while Ramona left the country en route to Turkey a week after the crime. Murder and frustrated murder complaints have already been filed against the two — as well as against Nartea and Tolisora — for the shooting and stabbing of Ram. Genelyn Magsaysay, mother of Ram, Ramona and RJ, denied that her children would resort to killing each other to settle their differences. The three were reportedly squabbling over money, with Ram’s personal aide, Ronald Ancajas, saying that Ram and the two were not on speaking terms. Backed out In a separate affidavit, Tolisora said he backed out of the plan to commit the crime after the first two tries. He denied involvement in the killing, saying he was in a beer house in Parañaque City on the night of Oct. 28 when Ram was killed. Nartea also denied participation, saying he was in his house when the crime was committed. Lawyer Ana Luz Cristal-Tenorio, counsel for the two suspect, said she is confident that the complaint against her clients will be junked. “I’m 100 percent sure this will be dismissed because we have an airtight alibi," she told reporters after the continuation of the preliminary investigation on Wednesday. During the proceedings, the suspects’ camp also presented three witnesses to supposedly prove that the two were not in the crime scene when Ram was killed. - KBK, GMA News