Homicide charges slapped vs TNVS driver’s slay suspects

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday filed homicide charges against three suspects in the killing of a Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) driver whose body was recently found in Nueva Ecija.

Operatives from the NBI confirmed the remains belonged to Raymond Enriquez Cabrera, who went missing after accepting a ride request in Parañaque City.

NBI director Jaime Santiago and Dr. Romel Papa of the bureau’s Forensic Science Research Services Division presented forensic findings that linked the suspects to Cabrera’s murder through DNA, fingerprints and dashcam footage.

“Cause of death is chest stab wounds,” Papa said. While only two wounds were confirmed through autopsy due to tissue decomposition, Papa disclosed that there were “definitely more” stab wounds.

“Either of the two confirmed wounds is fatal already because of the amount of blood lost and the location near the heart,” said Papa.

DNA samples from Cabrera’s vehicle matched specimens provided by his children, confirming with 99.99 percent certainty that the remains were his. The victim’s Toyota Avanza was recovered after the three suspects surrendered to Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.

Forensic experts also matched a fingerprint found on a water bottle inside Cabrera’s car with that of suspect Jean R. Mendez.

“We only need 10 identical characteristics in fingerprints. This one matched perfectly,” an NBI fingerprint analyst said.

NBI-National Capital Region investigators established that the suspects had planned to rob the TNVS driver. NBI agent Sir Martinez said the trio booked a ride from a casino resort in Parañaque, commandeered Cabrera’s vehicle, and intended to use it for further holdups targeting casino patrons.

He said they ended up killing the driver, which derailed their original plan.

The killing appears to be part of a pattern; the NBI confirmed one of the suspects had been involved in a robbery in Manila the night before the murder. The NBI revealed that two of the suspects are brothers and intelligence suggests the group had been involved in holdups for over a year, though this was reportedly the first time they resorted to killing a driver.

The case, initially filed as carnapping and robbery with homicide, has been amended to robbery with homicide and is now under preliminary investigation. A minor initially listed as a respondent was cleared and excluded from the inquest.

Papa noted that further forensic tests on the recovered skeletal remains are underway, with final DNA results expected before the end of the week.