The family of a murdered Fredericton businessman has new hope justice will be served, a year after he was gunned down in the Philippines.
On Friday, the family of Harry Doyle received word a court in Surigao City issued an arrest warrant for one of the prime suspects in his death – his wife, Erma “Jane” Udang Doyle.
The 62-year-old man was shot several times on Aug. 12 last year while spending time with family and friends at a beach resort in the northern part of Mindanao Island, in the southern part of the country.
Local police had suspected Doyle’s Filipina wife of having a hand in the murder since early on in the investigation.
Global News learned on Friday an arrest warrant had been issued for Jane Doyle.
“The family is greatly relieved. We have been waiting for a long time for the process of justice to move forward, and we’re very pleased,” Doyle’s sister, Joan, told Global News by phone, in Fredericton, on Friday.
She, along with Harry’s other sister, Anne, are complainants in the murder case.
“If an arrest warrant has been issued in the Philippines,… we’re hopeful that she will be extradited to the Phillipines to face the charges, and to answer to what she’s being accused of,” Joan Doyle said. “Nobody knows the truth until the trial is held.”
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Global News was able to confirm with Philippine National Police (PNP) investigator Ricky Cañeda Monday morning (local time) that the Regional Trial Court issued the warrant on Thursday, Aug. 15.
Jane Doyle arrived in Canada on Aug. 25 — the day after his family held a memorial service for Doyle in Fredericton. She was accompanied by their son and she was pregnant with another son at the time.
Six days later, Philippines National Police investigators named her, the family’s now-former driver and bodyguard Jerome Devocion and two other men as suspects.
At the time, investigators said they believed she was having an “illicit relationship” with Devocion.
Jane Doyle remained in Fredericton and gave birth to her second son in November. Global News attempted to contact Jane Doyle in Fredericton on Friday, but was unsuccessful.
The Regional Trial Court in Surigao City officially charged her with the crime of parricide – the murder of a family member or spouse.
Court documents obtained by Global News also recommended Jane should not be eligible for bail.
Devocion is in jail related to other charges — involving people connected to the Doyles — and has now been charged with Doyle’s murder as well.
The two men accused of shooting Doyle to death – brothers Jhonny and Jeffrey “Opok” Parian – also face murder charges.
None of the allegations have yet to be proven in court.
When asked if there were plans to extradite Jane Doyle back to the Philippines, Cañeda said the priority for police is to locate the Parian brothers, who have since left the area.
He said police would coordinate with Canadian authorities if there are any plans to extradite Jane Doyle.
Global News contacted Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs last week about the case.
Spokesperson Jean-Bruno Villeneuve said consular officials were “aware of the case and providing assistance as required.”
Cañeda said police planned to meet later in the day Monday to discuss moving forward with the Doyle murder case.
Doyle’s son happy progress has finally been made
Stephen Doyle, Doyle’s adult son from another marriage, was excited to learn of the charges and the arrest warrant.
He said he had been disheartened by how long it took for the case to advance.
The case has dragged on for much of last year due to legal hoops in the Philippine justice system, which is based on colonial Spanish law.
Read more: Family, friends frustrated with slow pace of Harry Doyle murder case
Now living in Ontario, Stephen Doyle said he plans to travel to the Philippines when the trial goes forward, to “put a face” to the family and the community ties his father left behind.
“Another reason I’m doing it is to fight for my father,” he said. “If it was the exact same scenario, in which I was killed in the Philippines … he would be the first one to sit down in the courtroom.”
Global News reached out to Jane Doyle’s lawyer Edmundo Zerda, based in Surigao City. He said he could not comment on the case now that it was before the court, saying it could “adversely impact the case.”
“We welcome the opportunity to show that my client is innocent of the charges levelled against her,” Zerda said in a phone interview Sunday evening.
Zerda said he had not spoken to Jane Doyle since the arrest warrant was issued.
He said Jane Doyle plans to return to the Philippines, but he said he has “strongly advised her to stay put in Canada because of existing threats to her life.”
Global News has not verified Zerda’s claims.
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