Panlilio scion convicted of robbery with homicide

After 12 years, the family of two brothers, who were killed in Calamba, Laguna in July, 2003, got justice Monday when a court found Jose Maria Panlilio, 63, son of the late jewelry icon Fe Sarmiento Panlilio, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of robbery with homicide.

Acting Presiding Judge Louis Acosta of the Calamba Regional Trial Court Branch 36 sentenced Panlilio to reclusion perpetua without parole for the killing of Ariel de Castro Real and Albert de Castro Gutierrez during a promulgation held at the New Bilibid Prison courthouse in Muntinlupa.

The court also ordered Panlilio to pay the families of Real and Gutier- rez 600,000 in civil indemnity, moral damages and exemplary damages and 275,000 for actual damages and temperate damages for burial expenses.

Lawyer Carmencita de Castro, mother of the victims, was in tears as the verdict was read inside the courtroom.

Court records said that, on the day of the crime, Real and Gutierrez went to Calamba to redeem a Starex van that belonged to Panlilio for 250,000. According to Real’s widow, Laura, her husband withdrew the amount from a bank.

Laura later learned that the two were already dead.

“Salamat sa Diyos (Thank God),” Laura exclaimed after the guilty verdict was announced. She said she spent a total of 15 million for seven years just to find Panlilio, who hid in Thailand after the killing.

During those years, she got the criminal records of Panlilio from the NBI and even published his photo in newspapers with a 5-million reward for information that would lead to his arrest.

She also distributed flyers in Metro Manila and provinces and posted the suspect’s photo all over the country.

Through an informer, she tracked Panlilio in Bangkok where he was working at the Thailand International Art Jewelry Store.

Through the help of the NBI, Camp Crame Interpol, Thailand Interpol, and Thailand Immigration office, she was able to find Panlilio, who was eventually deported back to the Philippines on June 12, 2010.

Outside the NBP courthouse, De Castro said, “Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos, nagpapasalamat ako sa judge at tama ang ginawa niya (I thank God, I thank the judge because what he did was right).”

Of the accused Panlilio, she said, “Sana matikman niya ang ginawa nya sa aking dalawang anak (I hope he realizes what he did to my two children).”

She said she did not fear the fact that the Panlilios were wealthy and regarded as a member of high society, adding that it was for the justice of her sons.

“He deserves to rot in jail,” said Real’s daughter, Patricia, who came back to the Philippines from California last August 10 for the promulgation. She said she was just 12 years old when her father and uncle were killed.