Gunman pleads guilty in Sytin slay case, gets up to 52 years
Published Nov 20, 2019 12:00 am
By Jeffrey Damicog
An Olongapo City court convicted a self-confessed gunman in view of his admission that he killed businessman Dominic Sytin in 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday.
Department of Justice (MANILA BULLETIN)
Judge Richard Paradeza of Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 72 promulgated a decision on Wednesday finding gunman Edgardo Luib guilty of Sytin’s murder and the frustrated murder of Sytin’s bodyguard Efren Espartero Jr.
“The conviction of accused Edgardo Luib in the cases of murder and frustrated murder is a recognition by the Court that apart from the voluntary plea of guilt, there is more than sufficient basis and evidence to establish the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt,” Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, who led the prosecution of the case, told reporters.
“The prosecution expresses its sincere thanks to the Court for acting on the case with dispatch, finishing the hearings and rendering its decision in less than three months,” he added.
On the other hand, the RTC has yet to issue a decision on Luib’s co-accused, Dominic’s brother Alan Dennis Sytin, tagged as the hit’s mastermind, and Ryan Rementilla who is Dominic’s former employee. Both Dennis and Rementilla remain at large.
Meanwhile, Judge Paradeza issued a separate order denying for lack of merit the motion of Dennis Sytin who sought to quash the charges and suspend the implementation of the arrest warrant against him.
The case concerns a shooting incident that took place on Nov. 28, 2018 in front of the Light House Hotel inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and resulted in the killing of Dominic and the wounding of Espartero.
Paradeza sentenced Luib to reclusion perpetua (40 years) for the crime of murder as well as prision mayor (six years, one month, and 11 days) up to reclusion temporal (12 years, five months, 11 days) for frustrated murder.
“From the evidence adduced, the court is satisfied that accused Edgardo P. Luib was the one who shot and killed Dominic L. Sytin. The evidence also shows that it was also accused Luib who shot and seriously wounded Efren O. Espartero after the latter tried to protect and defend Dominic Sytin himself,” read the decision.
The court noted that Luib issued a March 6 extrajudicial confession and later pleaded guilty to the crimes.
“The court finds no reason to doubt that the aforesaid extrajudicial confession was made by accused Luib freely and voluntarily. The court finds no irregularity in the execution of the said extrajudicial confession,” the court stated.
During the trial, Luib testified that “accused Dennis Sytin hired him to kill Dominic Sytin” and he was introduced to the alleged mastermind through the gunman’s childhood friend Rementilla.
“The prosecution, led by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, utilized eight witnesses to prove its cases,” the court also said.
Among the witnesses, the prosecution first presented at the trial Espartero, who “saw the gunman’s face.”
“Efren Espartero, when asked if he could identify the aforesaid person who poked a gun at him, he pointed to accused Edgardo Luib, who was in court,” the court said, recounting the bodyguard’s testimony at the trial.
Department of Justice (MANILA BULLETIN)
Judge Richard Paradeza of Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 72 promulgated a decision on Wednesday finding gunman Edgardo Luib guilty of Sytin’s murder and the frustrated murder of Sytin’s bodyguard Efren Espartero Jr.
“The conviction of accused Edgardo Luib in the cases of murder and frustrated murder is a recognition by the Court that apart from the voluntary plea of guilt, there is more than sufficient basis and evidence to establish the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt,” Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, who led the prosecution of the case, told reporters.
“The prosecution expresses its sincere thanks to the Court for acting on the case with dispatch, finishing the hearings and rendering its decision in less than three months,” he added.
On the other hand, the RTC has yet to issue a decision on Luib’s co-accused, Dominic’s brother Alan Dennis Sytin, tagged as the hit’s mastermind, and Ryan Rementilla who is Dominic’s former employee. Both Dennis and Rementilla remain at large.
Meanwhile, Judge Paradeza issued a separate order denying for lack of merit the motion of Dennis Sytin who sought to quash the charges and suspend the implementation of the arrest warrant against him.
The case concerns a shooting incident that took place on Nov. 28, 2018 in front of the Light House Hotel inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and resulted in the killing of Dominic and the wounding of Espartero.
Paradeza sentenced Luib to reclusion perpetua (40 years) for the crime of murder as well as prision mayor (six years, one month, and 11 days) up to reclusion temporal (12 years, five months, 11 days) for frustrated murder.
“From the evidence adduced, the court is satisfied that accused Edgardo P. Luib was the one who shot and killed Dominic L. Sytin. The evidence also shows that it was also accused Luib who shot and seriously wounded Efren O. Espartero after the latter tried to protect and defend Dominic Sytin himself,” read the decision.
The court noted that Luib issued a March 6 extrajudicial confession and later pleaded guilty to the crimes.
“The court finds no reason to doubt that the aforesaid extrajudicial confession was made by accused Luib freely and voluntarily. The court finds no irregularity in the execution of the said extrajudicial confession,” the court stated.
During the trial, Luib testified that “accused Dennis Sytin hired him to kill Dominic Sytin” and he was introduced to the alleged mastermind through the gunman’s childhood friend Rementilla.
“The prosecution, led by Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon, utilized eight witnesses to prove its cases,” the court also said.
Among the witnesses, the prosecution first presented at the trial Espartero, who “saw the gunman’s face.”
“Efren Espartero, when asked if he could identify the aforesaid person who poked a gun at him, he pointed to accused Edgardo Luib, who was in court,” the court said, recounting the bodyguard’s testimony at the trial.