Dalia Pastor’s dad: ‘My daughter is innocent’

The father of Dalia Pastor on Tuesday denied that his daughter was involved in the June 12 killing of her husband Enzo Pastor, the first Filipino to participate in the NASCAR Whelen Euroseries Open Championship race circuit.

“Dalia has everything to lose and nothing to gain by plotting to kill her husband,” a teary-eyed Xavier Guerrero said during the preliminary investigation on the killing of Pastor at the Department of Justice (DOJ). “I believe my daughter is innocent.”

Dalia, who is in hiding, has been named suspect in the killing of Pastor in what investigators said was a case of love triangle gone violent. Pastor's assistant was wounded in the incident.

Reading from a prepared speech, Guerrero said his daughter's relationship with Pastor “was actually getting better.” He also described how much Dalia loves their six-year-old and nine-year-old children.

“They are God's gift to Dalia and Enzo. The children are the most important to Dalia. She would put her children's welfare first before any decision,” he said.

Guerrero said the Pastor family had earlier decided to organize the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) in the Philippines. “With this project, things became more complicated since it needed additional funds and more time,” he said.

“In spite of these, things were getting better...  And the success of the business is all where their energy went,” he added.

Guerrero described Dalia as a “free spirited person who believes in free expression.” He said she is artistic and loves nature, sports cars, and adventure.

“All of this was the result of proper education and parental guidance,” said Guerrero.

Guerrero told the DOJ that he “hope[s] your honorable prosecutor that whatever accusation against Dalia would be an absolute beyond reasonable doubt.”

The preliminary probe came a day after Dalia's fellow suspect, PO2 Edgar Angel, retracted his confession that he was the gunman hired to kill Pastor. He said he was made to sign a fake confession that was allegedly prepared by the Quezon City Police District.

Apart from Angel and Dalia, also charged for the killing was Dalia's alleged lover, businessman Domingo de Guzman III. The three have been placed under the Immigration lookout bulletin. —KBK, GMA News