Brigadier General Jesus Durante III and Colonel Michael Licyayo have been taken into custody by the Army after a complaint was filed against them– along with eight others– related to the shooting and killing of model and businesswoman Yvonette Plaza on December 28, 2022 in Davao City.
According to Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11), the police filed complaints of murder, obstruction of justice, and theft against the suspects.
“We confirm na yesterday [Miyerkoles] ng umaga ay na-file na namin ‘yung cases of murder, theft, and obstruction of justice against the suspects sa pagpatay kay Yvonnette Chua Plaza,” said PRO-11 spokesperson Police Major Eudisan Gultiano in an interview with Dobol B TV this Thursday.
Only eight of the accused [mostly soldiers] were named. Aside from Durante and Licyayo, the complaint includes Staff Sergeant Gilbert Plaza, Sergeant Delfin Sialsa Jr, Corporal Adrian Cachero, and Noel Japitan.
According to Gultiano, it was Sialsa who was captured on the CCTV camera who shot Plaza. He allegedly submitted an extrajudicial confession and pointed to Durante as the mastermind of the crime.
Cachero also drove the motorcycle they used in the crime.
Raps filed against Gen. Durante, 8 others involved in killing Yvonette Plaza
When asked what the motive for the crime was, Gultiano said that Yvonette Plaza and Durante were in a relationship and that the victim was in possession of sensitive information to be used against the general.
“May identified po tayong motibo like itong si Yvonette Plaza ay may hawak na sensitive information na ginagamit niya kay General Durante,” according to Gultiano who refused to reveal what was referred to as sensitive information.
Gultiano added that, based on the testimony of the other suspect, Durante is also allegedly jealous.
“It appears po talaga based doon the investigation na may intimate relationship po itong si sila General Durante. According to the confessions natin, at one instance talagang nagsabi si Durante na nagseselos siya,” the official said.
Durante and other suspects have not yet made a statement regarding their involvement in the case. But the general previously denied that he had anything to do with Plaza’s death.
In a separate interview with Dobol B TV, Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner Jr. said that Durante and Licyayo are at the Philippine Army headquarters.
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