FILE

The Supreme Court has reinstated the arrest warrant and hold departure order against Dalia Guerrero Pastor, the estranged wife of the late racer Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor. This comes after the High Court upheld the prosecution’s findings of probable cause, linking Dalia as a co-conspirator in the 2014 killing of her husband.

Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier penned the Supreme Court’s decision, which overturned an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeals (CA) that dismissed the parricide charges against Dalia. The decision reopens the case and reaffirms suspicions about her alleged involvement in the tragic incident that left the racing community in shock nearly a decade ago.

What Happened Back in 2014?

Enzo Pastor, an award-winning race car driver, was on his way to Clark, Pampanga, with his mechanic, Paolo Salazar. While waiting at an intersection in Quezon City, a gunman approached the driver’s side and opened fire, killing Enzo instantly.

The authorities later identified Police Officer II Edgar Angel as the gunman and tagged Domingo De Guzman III and Dalia Pastor as masterminds behind the hit. While Angel and De Guzman were apprehended, Dalia managed to evade arrest and has been at large ever since.

The Legal Rollercoaster

After the incident, Dalia sought relief from the CA, arguing that there was no probable cause to implicate her in the crime. The CA agreed, citing that PO2 Angel failed to directly identify Dalia as the mastermind and that mere knowledge of the plot wasn’t enough to pin her as a co-conspirator. The parricide charges were subsequently dropped.

However, the Supreme Court held that a finding of probable cause does not require proof beyond reasonable doubt but only enough evidence to show that a crime was likely committed by the suspects. And in this case, they found the evidence against Dalia to be sufficient.

Piecing Together the Puzzle

The case against Dalia is built on multiple testimonies and circumstantial evidence. According to house help from the Pastor residence, Dalia had an affair with De Guzman, which became the apparent motive behind the killing. PO2 Angel’s statement further complicates matters—he claimed that De Guzman showed him a photo of Dalia with bruises and asked for help in killing Enzo, who allegedly beat her up.

Additionally, another witness, self-confessed gun-for-hire Alvin Nidua, testified that both Dalia and De Guzman approached him with an offer of PHP200,000 to kill Enzo, but he refused, stating that the amount was too low. On the day of the murder, Enzo’s mechanic, Salazar, recalled how Dalia repeatedly called her husband to check on their whereabouts, raising suspicions about her involvement.

What’s Next for Dalia?

With the Supreme Court’s ruling, Dalia remains a fugitive and is yet to submit herself to the court’s jurisdiction. Until she does, the arrest warrant and hold departure order will continue to stand.

This decision brings renewed hope for justice in the tragic case of Enzo Pastor, but it also opens up more questions: Where is Dalia Guerrero Pastor now? And will she finally face the charges against her?

The pursuit for answers continues, as does the search for Dalia.