Eleven years after the death of Venson Evangelista, the son of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) president Arsenio Evangelista, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court has set the promulgation of a judgment of the carnapping with homicide case filed against members of a crime syndicate for Feb. 3 at 9 a.m.
Branch 215 Judge Rafael Hipolito, in a Nov. 4, 2022 order, directed the participation of respondents Roger Dominguez and Jayson Miranda “from their remote location” at the Quezon City Jail Annex in Bicutan, Taguig City, and Rolando Talban at the National Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City on promulgation day via the VCH platform.
Talban, who was known to be a member of the Dominguez carnapping group, earlier admitted to taking part in the plot of abduction and killing of Evangelista.
On Jan. 13, 2011, a supposed buyer, who pretended to be a transvestite, and a mechanic went to Evangelista’s showroom in Cubao, Quezon City to inquire about a second-hand Toyota Land Cruiser. Venson allowed the two suspects to test drive the vehicle.
Days later, authorities confirmed that the burned boy of Venson was found in Barangay Buliran, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija.
“January 13 is the 11th death anniversary of Venson. Missing him so much,” the VACC chief said told the Manila Standard. “Let’s hope and pray that justice will be served.”
Hipolito also directed the lawyers of Dominguez and Miranda, Oscar Karaan and Eric Fuentes, respectively, to participate from their remote locations.
On Nov. 4, 2022, Talban took the virtual witness stand through the Public Attorney’s Office and terminated his testimony after a re-cross examination by Assistant City Prosecutor Raphael Joseph Seares “for the people.”
Seares then presented a resolution of the First Division of the Supreme Court affirming the conviction of Talban for qualified carnapping.
On April 28, 2015, QCRTC Branch 87 Judge Aurora Calledo sentenced Talban to suffer reclusion perpetua or 20 years and one day to 40 years in prison for a carjack-slay case.
Talban, along with two other car thieves, snatched the car of victim Teresita Teano and killed her on June 15, 2011 in front of Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University on Kamuning Road corner T. Gener Street. Teano was run over with her own vehicle.
Talban was the alleged gunman of Venson. Dominguez and his brother Raymond, who was found dead inside his cell at the NBP in February 2021, were also accused in the twin murder of Venson and another used-car trader Emerson Lozano, the 44-year-old son of the late Marcos loyalist lawyer Oliver Lozano.
