Uncle doubts robbery motive in Kae Davantes slay

MANILA – The uncle of slain advertising executive Kae Davantes, Vicente Davantes, expressed doubts over the motive behind his niece’s death.

Davantes suspects that there is more to the case besides robbery, saying it would have been easy for the suspects to steal her car and belongings then escape without having to abduct the victim.

He said that based on the re-enactment conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), it showed that his niece was not in the vehicle and was about to open the gate of their house when she was abducted.

“Nang magre-enactment, ang unang tinukoy na lakad nila ay ‘yung tao na hiwalay sa sasakyan. Ang dala-dala lang [ni Kae] ay susi. So parang ang dating, ang tao ang primary object nila, samantalang nakalagpas na ang sasakyan nila kung saan nakapark ang sasakyan ni Kae,” he told dzMM on Saturday.

“Kung pinapaniwala ay robbery, bakit hindi nalang nila kinuha ang sasakyan?” he added.

Davantes said statements of one of the suspects, 19-year-old Samuel Decimo, presented more questions than answers.

Decimo earlier said they initially did not plan to kill the victim, and that she was picked at random.

“Neophyte daw sila pero paano nila nagawa ang mga ganoon sa sasakyan? Maaaring sila nga ang gumawa, pero binibigyan ng ibang mukha ang krimen,” the victim’s uncle said.

The victim’s car, a metallic beige Toyota Altis, was found abandoned in Las Piñas with the car seats missing.

Police said the suspects tried to burn the car, but failed because they used diesel instead of gasoline.

Davantes also questioned inconsistencies in Decimo’s statements and findings of the medico legal with regards to the weapon used to stab the victim.

The medico legal report showed that a double-bladed weapon was used to kill the victim, but police said a kitchen knife was found in the scene of the crime.

“Maraming katanungan kami na si [Decimo] lang ang nakakaalam. ‘Yun lang ba ang kinekwento niya, na pagnanakaw ang motibo? ‘Yun ang malaking katanungan sa amin,” said Davantes.

Five suspects, including Decimo, are in the custody of police. They will face charges of robbery, qualified carnapping, and obstruction of justice.

According to Chief Supt. Christopher Laxa, chief of Task Force Kae, they did not find any inconsistencies in the statements of the suspects and evidences found.

“Wala kaming nakitang ibang motive or aspect sa pagpatay kay Kae,” he said.

A sixth suspect, identified as Baser Minalang, is still at large.