Ram's sister departs for HK after retracting statement
Ramona Bautista, who was among the seven people charged with the murder of brother Ramgen "Ram" Revilla, departed for Hong Kong late Friday, ABS-CBN's "Bandila" reported.
Ramona left the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Friday night wearing a red bandana apparently in an attempt to conceal her identity to onlookers.
An angry Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. told "Bandila" that Ramona's departure was a "sign of guilt" and that she should face the charges. He denied any hand in her departure.
Lawyers of the suspects said they had no knowledge of Ramona's trip.
Retraction
Ramona retracted earlier Friday a statement that she was kidnapped and abandoned in Las Pinas City on the night her brother, Ram, was murdered.
She, however, insisted she had nothing to do with her brother's killing.
Ramona told ANC's "Dateline Philippines" in an interview on Friday that she left their house after the attack because she was not in the right state of mind and only thought of saving her own life. She said she regretted leaving Ram and his girlfriend Janelle Manahan while the intruders attacked them.
Asked in the TV interview if she was really abducted, Ramona answered, “Hindi po talaga.”
"Ang iniisip ko na lang nu’n, lalayo ako ng bahay dahil ang killer nandu’n pa po o wala pa po dahil wala na pong nagbigay sa akin ng saklolo. Ang alam ko lang, mata-trust ko yung mga kapatid ko at hindi na ako masusundan doon," Ramona added.
Ramona, her brother Ramon Joseph and five other suspects have been charged with murder and frustrated murder.
Janelle, who was shot in the face but survived, testified to Paranaque police that Ramona left the door of their room open before a masked attacker gunned her down and shot and repeatedly stabbed Ram to death.
"Wala na po ako sa state of mind nun. Ang gusto ko na lang maligtas yung sarili ko at makaalis ako ng incident, nung place na pangyayari nu’n,” she said.
Ramona said she was ashamed thinking only of herself.
Ramona's version of the incident
On the night of October 28, Ramona claimed she was talking to Ram inside his room about a certain video when a masked intruder entered.
"Bigla na lang niyang binaril si Janelle. Hindi ko nga po alam na binaril niya si Janelle. Hindi ko alam yung putok na malakas na hangin. Si Ramgen nagsasabi ng 'Sino ka, sino ka?'," Ramona said.
“Sinuntok sya ni Ramgen. Nilabanan siya ni Ramgen. Narinig ko si Ramgen nagsabi, 'Aray!' After nu’n, nanghihina na po siya, tapos bumalik siya sa kuwarto. Pinilit niya ng buong lakas na isara yung pinto. Naipit pa nga yung kamay ng lalaki na naka-mask," Ramona stressed.
‘Ramgen saved my life’
Ramona further said, "Si Ramgen po ang sumagip ng buhay ko kaya hindi ako nasaktan nung gabing iyon kase nasara niya yung pinto. Utang ko po ang buhay ko sa kapatid ko. Hindi ko siya kayang saktan.”
Ramona confirmed, however, that she pleaded to the attacker to stop stabbing Ram.
“Ang sabi ko po, sabi na ‘Tama na’ kasi hindi ko na po kayang makita ang ginagawa sa kapatid ko,” Ramona said.
After the incident, Ramona said she tried to revive Ram and Janelle. She also said that she asked for the car keys so she could drive them to the nearest hospital but the couple did not respond.
Janelle further said in her testimony that she asked Ramona to call for help. But she said Ram’s younger sister never returned.
‘My conscience is clear’
“Nahihiya ako sa pamilya ko na iniwan ko lang sila. Hindi ko na po naisip. Ang gusto ko lang makaalis nung gabing yun. Kung hindi ako nag-panic hindi ko rin po maiisip ang gagawin ko po," she said.
Despite testimonies of Janelle and other suspects tagging her and RJ to the crime, Ramona maintained her innocence.
"Malinis po ang konsiyensya ko. Tinulungan ko po si Janelle ng hanggat makakaya ko po. Sigaw ako ng sigaw. Humihingi po ako ng tulong. Alam niya rin po yun," Ramona said.
