THE police finally caught up with the businessman from pricey Magallanes Village who was caught on video abusing and manhandling a barangay traffic enforcer together with his partner and his bodyguards. Lawmen armed with a search warrant descended yesterday on the house of Arnold Padilla and seized unlicensed firearms and grenades from the residence.
Reports said Padilla, reportedly the grandson of the late senator Ambrocio Padilla and the owner of high-value rental properties in Binondo, Manila, Baguio City and other places, was not arrested in connection with the traffic incident that went viral on social media. The warrant for his arrest was issued for alleged illegal possession of firearms because the authorities had revoked the licenses for his guns after Padilla reportedly faked a drug test that was required for their issuance.
Online commentator Mark Lopez has revealed some interesting data about Padilla, who is known as a tough guy and the terror of law enforcers in the rich man’s enclave of Magallanes. According to Lopez, the Padilla family used to own a shipping line and a rice trading business in Pangasinan province before one branch of the clan moved to Manila.
Arnold Padilla is said to be making at least P1 million a month from property rentals alone, according to Lopez. But members of the family have also been involved in violent incidents in the past.
Arnold’s father, Ramon, allegedly confessed to planting a car bomb that killed his own sister, Isabel Abes, in Baguio City, according to a first cousin of Arnold named Manuel Padilla in 2013. Abes was reportedly killed so that Ramon Padilla could inherit her properties.
Arnold and his mother, Arlene, meanwhile, were charged with murder and frustrated murder for the death of Arnold’s own sister, Yvonne Padilla-Chua. Yvonne was killed by a “gift bomb” allegedly sent to her by Arnold and Arlene Padilla in December 2010. A daughter of Yvonne’s, Chloe Chua, was also killed by the bomb that was allegedly delivered to her house by a maid in the employ of Arlene.
As with the earlier case in Baguio City, the motive for the killing of Yvonne Chua was to acquire the properties in her name, said Manuel Padilla. Manuel also claimed in 2013 to be in possession of an affidavit signed by the late Alberto Padilla, a brother (who has also died), identifying Arnold and his mother Arlene as the killers of Yvonne.
“They stand to gain hundreds of millions because of [Yvonne’s] death,” Manuel Padilla said in a press conference five years ago.
It is not known why Arnold Padilla, who was charged with murder and frustrated murder together with his mother and her maid in 2011, is not in jail for the serious and non-bailable charge of killing his own sister in cold blood. Arlene Padilla, according to Lopez, has been reported missing for the past two years.
As for Glocel Razon, the current partner of Arnold who was one of those who beat up the barangay traffic enforcers who stopped them for beating a red light in the now-viral video, she is said to be a niece of retired Manila police chief Gen. Avelino Razon.
Arnold Padilla has been brought to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City after policemen who arrested him denied his request to be brought to a hospital in Quezon City instead. I shall be closely following this case and supplementing information from official sources with data from my own investigations.
Stay tuned.
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From the mailbox comes this letter from Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, reacting to a recent Facebook post I made. In the post, I asked Binay why she was virtually silent throughout the hearing of the committee that was investigating electoral fraud in the 2016 elections as claimed by Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd.
I am sorry to be publishing the senator’s letter only now, but this is why people don’t use “snail mail” anymore for their correspondence. Anyway, here is the senator’s rejoinder:
“First of all, thank you for saying that you think of me as a level-headed person. In your post on Facebook yesterday, I take exception, however, to your allegation that I am using Assistant [Secretary] Mocha Uson as a chance to “make pasikat in aid of reelection next year.
“As someone who has been on the [receiving]end of vicious attacks on social media, I am the last person who would throw someone under the bus just to gain media mileage.
“Since Asec Mocha has a leading role in the dissemination of information on the movement for federalism, it is in the interest of the Senate and Congress as a whole to be apprised of the content of her campaign. Public funds will be earmarked for this purpose, so it is our responsibility that the message relayed to the people is aligned with what is happening in the legislative process.
“As for the hearing of the committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation on alleged electoral fraud, I was there to primarily listen to presentations of the resource persons and observe the proceedings.
“For those who are familiar with my work ethic, I am more active attending committee hearings that tackle issues of national importance but rarely get the attention of media.
“I hope this clears the air regarding any misconception you have about me.”
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