THE Department of Justice has indicted 10 suspects in the kidnapping with ransom and murder of businessman Eduardo Tolosa, owner of Iraseth Pharma Inc. whose skeletal remains were recovered in a farm in Sto. Tomas, Batangas after being abducted in July 2022.
In a resolution dated February 14, charged as principals were Carlo Cadampog, Cesar Cadampog, Adrian Joseph Mendez, Richmel Riel Ignilan, Jomel Vizcarra and Aldrin Antonio while John Benedict Domalanta and Victor Ferrer were charged as accomplices.
Charged as accessories were David Gubdran Jr. and Melvin Andes.
Carlo Cadampog, a casino card dealer, is the alleged mastermind in the abduction and subsequent murder of Tolosa.
Tolosa, a resident of Marikina City, was last seen alive aboard a Toyota Land Cruiser on July 19, 2022 when he picked up P5.7 million in cash and two expensive watches from his personal assistant in Bonifacio Global City.
His vehicle was later found burned in San Luis town, Pampanga.
The DOJ resolution said Cadampog’s group demanded ransom for Tolosa’s release but after receiving $102,700, 2,800 euros, a Rolex and a Hublot watch, the latter was still killed in Barangay San Juan, Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
Tolosa’s body was buried in a pit dug by respondents Dumalanta, Andes and Ferrer.
On July 28, Gundran and Andes exhumed the body and burned it upon instructions of Cadampog to cover their tracks.
Authorities got a break when Dumalanta, Gundran, Andes and Ferrer voluntarily surrendered to the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group, saying they were in constant fear of Cadampog.
They executed an extrajudicial confession and identified the rest of the suspects involved and their roles in the abduction and killing of Tolosa.
“After evaluation of the evidence, the Panel of Prosecutors found sufficient evidence to hold respondents, save for Melchor Andes, a minor, for trial,” the resolution said.
It added that the indictment is not only grounded on the extrajudicial confessions of Dumalante, Gundran, Andes and Ferrer “who are all in unison in pointing to Carlo Cadampog as the mastermind in the killing of Tolosa but also on the other relevant evidence such as CCTV footages and testimonies of other witnesses who corroborated on the plan of Carlo Cadampog to abduct and exact money from Tolosa.
The DOJ said criminal charges will be filed before the Sto. Tomas, Batangas Regional Trial Court.
