NBI Cebu agent-in-charge Arnel Pura presents the suspects of the killing of Richard Caravana Jr. in a press conference on Thursday, March 31, 2022. | Paul Lauro
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines —After five years, the suspected killers of Richard Caravana Jr. were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation Cebu District Office (NBI-CEBDO).
The suspects were presented by the NBI-CEBDO here in a press conference on Thursday morning, March 31, 2022.
The suspects were identified as Mark Jun Montirillas Ponce, Victor Ponce Abejo, and Raymond Ponce Millorna.
All are from Sitio Bunga in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City.
Mark Jun was said to be the alleged the mastermind of the crime. He is in jail for another murder case that happened in 2016.
Abejo and Millorna surrendered to the NBI on March 29, 2022 by a virtue of Warrant of Arrest issued by Judge Ruelo Saladaga, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 69 in Lapu-Lapu City.
“This finally brings justice to the death of Richard Caravana, and the family is very happy,” said Agent-in-charge Arnel Pura.
Caravana of Gabi, Cordova was killed on January 1, 2017. He was 17 at that time.
Pura said the victim was considered missing for almost five years until they received information about the crime incident from a direct witness who went into hiding in Northern Luzon.
The skeletal remains of Caravana were found buried in a grassy, shallow, and secluded area in Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City last November 9, 2021.
Abejo and Millarno claimed that they participated in the mauling because they were scared that Mark Jun would be angry with them.
“Nakasumbag mi niya (Caravana) kay nahadlok man sad mi nga basin apilon mi (Mark Jun). Nagpatay gyud ana si Mark Jun,” said Abejo.
(We helped in punching him (Caravana) because we were afraid [Mark Jun] might include us. The one who killed the victim is Mark Jun.)
“Sobra sa amoang kahadlok, niapil na lang mi sukmag kay mopatay man gyud siya (Mark Jun), kursonadang mopatay,” said Millorna.
(We were so scared that we joined in punching the victim because [Mark Jun] would really kill a person. He is not afraid to kill.)
Pura said Mark Jun had been considered a notorious person.
Based on the test, the victim was mauled, stabbed and hit hard by an object. Pura said the victim’s bones and skull were broken.
Based on the investigation, Mark Jun and Caravana were members of the Dela Cruz Group. The victim and Mark Jun had quarreled after the former accused Mark Jun of stealing money from him, said Pura.
The agent-in-charge of the case also said that Mark Jun claimed when interviewed that the victim allegedly participated in the killing of his brother around 2014 or three years prior to the day the victim was killed.
But Pura said that the alegation was not validated because it was only now that Mark Jun mentioned this and that the victim was just a minor, a 14-year-old boy at that time.
As for the two other suspects, Pura said since they coordinated in the investigation and confessed, during the trial, they would be given an opportunity to a plea bargain.
The NBI agent also said that the two suspects were facing a conspiracy case.
He also said that they could also be witnesses against Marjun and would be covered in the provision of the Witness Protection Program.
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