A Common Sense Challenge to the Supreme Court Decision Regarding the Chiong Sisters Case

Several years ago, Case Unclosed featured an episode about the Chiong Sisters, a few years before Give Up Tomorrow came. One of the things I could say is that GMA-7 is far less biased than ABS-CBN in news reporting. The late Antonio "Tony" Calvento even aired a dramatization of Davidson Rusia's testimony, which had Niño Muhlach play as Juan Francisco "Paco" Larranaga. It's easy to say, "Unlike you, I read the Supreme Court decision." This came out a year after the controversial case involving the late Federico "Toto" Natividad and his controversial film Animal had ended in 2007. Apparently, Animal (2004), which was released as Butakal (1999), still remains banned.

As I read through the Supreme Court decision, I confess it's a difficult read. Thankfully, I watched Give Up Tomorrow and read the decision. Give Up Tomorrow highlighted several inconsistencies. Should everyone just follow the decision of the SC and ignore Give Up Tomorrow, because according to a female lawyer I ran on Facebook, "Why should we believe a documentary that was made by Paco's cousin?" It should be funny, but she refuses to get her facts straight. I even told her that Paco isn't a cousin of Marty, but the brother of his brother-in-law, Miguel Syjuco, the husband of his older sister Mimi. Sidenote: It's because Mimi was married to a Syjuco that I still believe Paco might have courted the late Marijoy Chiong, whose body may have also never been found. 

Thankfully, Gemini AI (or any AI app), imperfect as it is, can help us find things faster than Google. The Internet may not be perfect, but it's an ever-evolving library. The moment this article is published, it's already sent to Google and other search engines for scrutiny. I made some common-sense analysis, and I would like to say, AI has confirmed some of my worst suspicions.

To begin, let's talk about the rainy conditions and the utter convenience

To understand the conditions of the events, this is what the SC decision states with this detail:

On the night of July 16, 1997, sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong, who lived in Cebu City, failed to come home on the expected time. It was raining hard and Mrs. Thelma Chiong thought her daughters were simply having difficulty getting a ride. Thus, she instructed her sons, Bruce and Dennis, to fetch their sisters. They returned home without Marijoy and Jacqueline. Mrs. Chiong was not able to sleep that night. Immediately, at 5:00 o'clock in the morning, her entire family started the search for her daughters, but there was no trace of them. Thus, the family sought the assistance of the police who continued the search. But still, they could not find Marijoy and Jacqueline.[9]

July is known to be a rainy month. I would like to address the claim that the Chiong Sisters were somehow alone together in the waiting shed, which raises some serious questions. It was raining hard, meaning there was limited visibility. The chances of the Chiong Sisters getting kidnapped at the front door or any exit of Ayala in 1997 would be more believable than the story that somehow, the Chiong 8 (which is the Chiong 7, including David) were actually able to know which waiting shed to find. It was also raining hard, which meant there was limited visibility, making the kidnapping of the Chiongs even harder. 

Given the rain, it would've already made the whole crime even harder to commit. We need to ask ourselves these questions:

1. Is it possible that the Chiong Sisters were waiting alone at the waiting shed when a rain would mean there could be several people in that waiting shed?
2. Given the rain, one could also ask if they might have sped up from Fuente to Guadalupe without a road rage incident? Where are the witnesses to prove that the cars were speeding at that time?
3. There would be serious amounts of mud in Carcar, which was still underdeveloped in 1997. How do you think they could accomplish all that so easily?
   
4. How in the world did the suspects even have a rape party at a muddy ravine, have drugs and alcohol, and not fall into the ditch? 

Could Paco even have been in Cebu, as the SC insisted that he was?

Photo credited to Michael Collins and Marty Syjuco

This is another serious case of impossibility. I tried to use Google AI to try and figure out if Paco could be at Cebu at 10:30 PM, given this route:

1. Quezon City to NAIA
2. NAIA would require at least two hours before the flight, before boarding
3. The plane would take at least one hour, and I can agree with the courts
   
4. Paco would need to pass through security several times, as required 
5. Mactan International Airport to Cebu City would be hit by traffic

Given the time, it could be possible for Paco to hit the 10:30 PM mark. However, we need to consider another piece of damning evidence that would put Paco out of place, which the SC had just ignored based on this:

Indeed, Larrañaga's presence in Cebu City on July 16, 1997 proved to be not only a possibility but a reality. No less than four (4) witnesses for the prosecution identified him as one of the two men talking to Marijoy and Jacqueline on the night of July 16, 1997. Shiela Singson testified that on July 16, 1997, at around 7:20 in the evening, she saw Larrañaga approach Marijoy and Jacqueline at the West Entry of Ayala Center. The incident reminded her of Jacqueline's prior story that he was Marijoy's admirer. She (Shiela) confirmed that she knows Larrañaga since she had seen him on five (5) occasions. Analie Konahap also testified that on the same evening of July 16, 1997, at about 8:00 o'clock, she saw Marijoy and Jacqueline talking to two (2) men at the West Entry of Ayala Center. She recognized them as Larrañaga and Josman, having seen them several times at Glicos, a game zone, located across her office at the third level of Ayala Center. Williard Redobles, the security guard then assigned at Ayala Center, corroborated the foregoing testimonies of Shiela and Analie. In addition, Rosendo Rio, a businessman from Cogon, Carcar, declared that he saw Larrañaga at Tan-awan at about 3:30 in the morning of July 17, 1997.  The latter was leaning against the hood of a white van.[118]

Paco would need to take a flight by July 15, but he was in Manila on July 16, 1997. Why did the courts dismiss the photos as "could've been tampered"? It's a violation of due process, since evidence must be examined before it's dismissed. This reminds me of the Vizconde Massacre trial, which retired judge Atty. Amelita Tolentino (who's already in her 80s now, and has been out of the public eye, no news of her death yet) dismissed the evidence presented that Hubert Webb was in the USA when the crime happened! 

This makes you wonder that the one-hour argument starts to fall apart because:

1. Where are the flight records to prove that Paco took a plane on July 16?
   
2. If there were indeed flights on July 16, what time did Paco take a flight? Can you prove to me that he took a morning flight to accomplish the task? 
   
3. Why would the two sisters be talking casually with their jilted suitors? Take note, I believe that Paco and Josman were both jilted suitors, but that doesn't make them automatically guilty!
4. Can anybody give me a realistic timeline for how Paco could be in Cebu on July 16 even earlier than 10:30 PM, if he indeed took a flight on July 16, not July 15 of that year of 1997?

Sidenote: It would also be good to ask Rosendo on what his basis was that he saw Paco at Carcar, Cebu, at 3:00 AM? Why would a businessman be awake at that time? There were no call centers in Carcar in 1997! Was this guy into drugs or smuggling? I couldn't be certain, and I don't claim to know. I'm just bringing him up due to how disorderly the whole decision could be! 

Given the timeline, one must strictly demand the schedules and flight records to prove that Paco took the morning flight. However, evidence that Paco was in Manila, such as the logbook, was all ignored, and for what? To secure a conviction for a grieving mother (Thelma Jimenea-Chiong) and give her a false sense of justice?

It's more than time to question the flow of events, which show a series of absurd events

The whole flow of events can become laughable, despite the fact that they were linked to a crime. If this were a movie, any movie critic would describe it as an "Unintentionally funny crime film!" In fact, this was just the beginning of the whole absurd flow of events, as written by the "infallible" SC:

Or, July 15, 1997, while Rusia was loafing around at the Cebu Plaza Hotel, Cebu City, Rowen approached him and arranged that they meet the following day at around 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.[18] When they saw each other the next day, Rowen told him to stay put at the Ayala Mall because they would have a "big happening" in the evening. All the while, he thought that Rowen's "big happening" meant group partying or scrounging. He thus lingered at the Ayala Mall until the appointed time came.[19]

I should ask the following questions:

1. Why would two low-level crooks like David and Rowen Adlawan seriously be hanging around Cebu Plaza, where it's a high-security place with really high chances of them getting detected?
   
2. Wouldn't it be more logical for David and Rowen to be hanging around in Junquera instead?

Now, we need to question the sequence of events that led to the really absurd flow of events. Now, let's take a look at the sequence of events. Several of these events could easily give off that a crime was taking place, and would've apprehended the suspects, way before the glaring 10-month gap when "David Rusia suddenly showed up":

At 10:30 in the evening, Rowen returned with Josman. They met Rusia at the back exit of the Ayala Mall and told him to ride with them in a white car. Rusia noticed that a red car was following them. Upon reaching Archbishop Reyes Avenue, same city, he saw two women standing at the waiting shed.[20] Rusia did not know yet that their names were Marijoy and Jacqueline.

Josman stopped the white car in front of the waiting shed and he and Rowen approached and invited Marijoy and Jacqueline to join them.[21] But the sisters declined. Irked by the rejection, Rowen grabbed Marijoy while Josman held Jacqueline and forced both girls to ride in the car.[22] Marijoy was the first one to get inside, followed by Rowen. Meanwhile, Josman pushed Jacqueline inside and immediately drove the white car. Rusia sat on the front seat beside Josman.

Fourteen (14) meters from the waiting shed, Jacqueline managed to get out of the car. Josman chased her and brought her back into the car. Not taking anymore chances, Rowen elbowed Jacqueline on the chest and punched Marijoy on the stomach, causing both girls to faint.[23] Rowen asked Rusia for the packaging tape under the latter's seat and placed it on the girls' mouths. Rowen also handcuffed them jointly. The white and red cars then proceeded to Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City.

At Fuente Osmeña, Josman parked the car near a Mercury Drug Store and urged Rusia to inquire if a van that was parked nearby was for hire. A man who was around replied "no" so the group immediately left. The two cars stopped again near Park Place Hotel where Rusia negotiated to hire a van. But no van was available. Thus, the cars sped to a house in Guadalupe, Cebu City known as the safehouse of the "Jozman Aznar Group" Thereupon, Larrañaga, James Anthony and James Andrew got out of the red car.

Larrañaga, James Anthony and Rowen brought Marijoy to one of the rooms, while Rusia and Josman led Jacqueline to another room. Josman then told Rusia to step out so Rusia stayed at the living room with James Andrew. They remained in the house for fifteen (15) to twenty (20) minutes. At that time, Rusia could hear Larrañaga, James Anthony, and Rowen giggling inside the room.

Thereafter, the group brought Marijoy and Jacqueline back to the white car. Then the two cars headed to the South Bus Terminal where they were able to hire a white van driven by Alberto. Ariel was the conductor. James Andrew drove the white car, while the rest of the group boarded the van. They traveled towards south of Cebu City, leaving the red car at the South Bus Terminal.

Inside the van, Marijoy and Jacqueline were slowly gaining strength.  James Anthony taped their mouths anew and Rowen handcuffed them-together.  Along the way, the van and the white car stopped by a barbeque store.  Rowen got off the van and bought barbeque and Tanduay rhum. They proceeded to Tan-awan.[24] Then they parked their vehicles near a precipice[25] where they drank and had a pot session. Later, they pulled Jacqueline out of the van and told her to dance as they encircled her. She was pushed from one end of the circle to the other, ripping her clothes in the process. Meanwhile, Josman told Larrañaga to start raping Marijoy who was left inside the van. The latter did as told and after fifteen minutes emerged from the van saying, "who wants next?” Rowen went in, followed by James Anthony, Alberto, the driver, and Ariel, the conductor. Each spent a few minutes inside the van and afterwards came out smiling.[26]

Then they carried Marijoy out of the van, after which Josman brought Jacqueline inside the vehicle. Josman came out from the van after ten minutes, saying, "whoever wants next go ahead and hurry up." Rusia went inside the van and raped Jacqueline, followed by James Andrew. At this instance, Marijoy was to breathe her last for upon Josman's instruction, Rowen and Ariel led her to the cliff and mercilessly pushed her into the ravine[27] which was almost 150 meters deep.[28]

As for Jacqueline, she was pulled out of the van and thrown to the ground. Able to gather a bit of strength, she tried to run towards the road. The group boarded the van, followed her and made fun of her by screaming, "run some more" There was a tricycle passing by. The group brought Jacqueline inside the van. Rowen beat her until she passed out. The group then headed back to Cebu City with James Andrew driving the white car. Rusia got off from the van somewhere near the Ayala Center.[29]

I would like to ask these questions:

1. How did the Chiong 8 know which waiting shed to find the Chiong Sisters?
2. Why would the Chiong 8 risk detection by stopping by Fuente after they kidnapped the Chiong Sisters to inquire about a "van for rent"? This alone would give a hint!
   Why would the Chiong 8 risk detection and suspicion by speeding to Guadalupe or go from Ayala to Fuente? 
3. Why would the Chiong 8 risk detection raping the Chiong Sisters in a boarding house? This is already in itself, a logistical error.
4. Would 20 minutes be enough to do a rape party?
5. Why weren't the neighbors asked, or why didn't the neighbors even detect them? Sure, some people aren't vigilant, but again, the noise can cause any disturbance that someone will call the police sooner or later! 
   
6. Why would Josman make David and James Anthony "stand watch" while the others perform the rape party, which was absurdly short?
   
7. Wouldn't leaving the red car at the South Bus Terminal be risky, considering that even hiring the van was already risky enough?
8. Where was the record at the South Bus Terminal that the van was hired?
   
9. Wouldn't competent criminals choose to steal a vehicle, get rid of the plate number, and then dispose of it later, if needed?
10. Why would Rowen stop by Nene's Store to get a snack in the middle of a dangerous operation?
    
11. Why would Nene's Store, which was most likely, not a convenience store, be open so late at night?
12. Having a pot session and drinking by a ravine is already preposterous. How could David even remember the sequence done? I would like to raise the fact he's been talking in monotone a lot!
13.  Also, why did it wait until ten months later before these details showed up, given the series of incompetence?
    
14. To add, I would like to ask the cops, "Are you too incompetent not to do a warranted search at the places that were done here last 1997? Why did we have to wait for 1998?"

Of course, we also need to put this into question:

There were other people who saw snippets of what Rusia had witnessed. Sheila Singson,[30] Analie Konahap[31] and Williard Redobles[32] testified that Marijoy and Jacqueline were talking to Larrañaga and Josman before they were abducted. Roland Dacillo[33] saw Jacqueline alighting and running away from a white car and that Josman went after her and grabbed her back to the car. Alfredo Duarte[34] testified that he was at the barbeque stand when Rowen bought barbeque; that Rowen asked where he could buy Tanduay; that he saw a white van and he heard therefrom voices of a male and female who seemed to be quarreling; that he also heard a cry of a woman which he could not understand because "it was as if the voice was being controlled;" and that after Rowen got his order, he boarded the white van which he recognized to be previously driven by Alberto Caño. Meanwhile, Mario Miñoza,[35] a tricycle driver plying the route of Carcar-Mantalongon, saw Jacqueline running towards Mantalongon. Her blouse was torn and her hair was disheveled. Trailing her was a white van where a very loud rock music could be heard. Manuel Camingao[36] recounted that on July 17, 1997, at about 5:00 o'clock in the morning, he saw a white van near a cliff at Tan-awan. Thinking that the passenger of the white van was throwing garbage at the cliff, he wrote its plate number (GGC-491) on the side of his tricycle.[37]

Now, to even raise more questions:  

1. Aside from raising the question of Paco's flight, how could Paco fly to Cebu on July 16 so fast and be there to be at the mall abduction?
   
2. Given that Ayala Center Cebu has tight security, why weren't the guards able to apprehend Paco and Josman, two bad boys who aren't exactly smart? Given that Paco had a failed kidnapping attempt and Josman was arrested with a packet of shabu (not a box) and illegal possession of firearms, it proves the two aren't competent crooks!
3. As mentioned earlier, there was this problematic time gap. Where would Paco and Josman stand by, given the gap between 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, which leaves a glaring gap of at least 2.5 hours, which in turn where would they be at that time before the waiting shed? This is irrational amateurism!
4. Where is the owner of Nene's Store to collaborate with Alfredo's testimony? 
5. Why would Alfredo be standing out there so late at night at a store that was most likely closed?
6. It was stated that Jacqueline's clothes were ripped off. Why is Mario now saying she was running with a torn blouse (which would highlight a failed rape attempt)? It's also noted in Case Unclosed that Jacqueline's eyesight was 500+, meaning she couldn't run far, as verified by her own mother.
7. What was Mario doing driving a tricycle at the wee hours in Carcar with poor lighting, with a route from Carcar to Mantalongon? It was also so dark that identifying Jacqueline was already questionable. 
8. How could Manuel also notice the plate number of the van from afar, given the visiblity at 5:00 AM is still considerably dark and the distance was on a cliff? Wow, he must have very powerful eyesight! Criminals would also have torn the plate number if they were competent enough!

Hopefully, this list of questions will trigger your mind!