By CZARINA NICOLE ONG-KI
It is still premature to declare that the death of high-profile detainee Raymond Dominguez is the result of foul play, said Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) President Arsenio “Boy” Evangelista.
“First I would like to extend our condolences to the family,” Evangelista said in a statement. “Truth and justice (are) all we want and embrace! Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said no foul play and cause of death is natural, so it’s premature to say or insinuate foul play. Let’s wait for the forensic report and official statement from Department of Justice (DOJ). VACC is for truth and justice!”
Dominguez was found dead in his cell at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City Friday, making him the latest high-profile inmate to die since COVID-19 broke out.
Dominguez’s wife, Mae, has hinted at foul play behind Dominguez’s death. She said that her husband said goodbye the night before he died and had expressed fears for his life.
However, given Dominguez’s medical history, Evangelista said it is plausible he died of natural causes.
“Dominguez is (a) highly vulnerable person. He has existing medical conditions such as chronic asthma, two times tested positive for COVID-19, and is diabetic, so on a very high percentage he died of natural causes,” he said.
BuCor Deputy Director General Gabriel P. Chaclag said that there was “no sign of foul play” behind the death of the convicted carjacker, and “it appears that he died of natural causes.” However, Chaclag said that they will still “wait for the medico-legal report.”
Dominguez has been detained at the NBP for nine years. He was sent there in April 2012 after being sentenced to 17 to 36 years for carnapping.
Dominguez and his brother, Roger, were also implicated in the deaths of Venson Evangelista and Emerson Lozano on January 2011. Venson was the son of the VACC president.
