Vancouver BC father of four sentenced to 10 years for murder of wife

By Keith Fraser, The Province

A judge has sentenced a Vancouver father of four to 10 years in prison for strangling his wife to death. But after double-time credit for pre-sentence custody, Orlando Carderas Mangaoang, 49, will serve two and a half years in prison for the May 2007 slaying of his wife, Editha, 41.

Court heard that the marriage became tumultuous after Editha, a nanny, came to Canada from the Philippines and sponsored her husband and their kids to follow her to Canada. They argued over money and Mangaoang’s perception that his wife was unfaithful to him. He became obsessive, following her and phoning her repeatedly.

Then one night following an argument, he struck her over the head with a metal object, fracturing her skull.
He spent up to 30 minutes strangling her with his hands, then cut up her panties in a search for semen before placing her half naked body in a cardboard box. The following day he drove to a remote location in Richmond and dumped the body.

Mangaoang lied to his children and to the police about his wife’s whereabouts and a massive search was launched, in which he participated. At one point his oldest son was placed under suspicion and took a polygraph. Three weeks later Editha’s body was found and Mangaoang was arrested. He confessed to the killing and was charged with second -degree murder.

But in January the accused pleaded guilty to the lesser and included offence of manslaughter. In sentencing him on Wednesday, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Bill Smart said that what precipatated the killing was not clear but that all of Mangaoang’s anger, frustration and contempt for his wife exploded in a rage.

The judge said Mangaoang’s conduct after the killing was almost as “disturbing and shocking” as the slaying itself. Smart noted that the Crown was satisfied that in his rage, Mangaoang did not have sufficient intent for murder. He said he was satisfied that the accused had shown “great remorse,” was otherwise a law abiding citizen and was determined to devote his life to helping his children.

He said the four children were the other victims of the crime.“They lost a mother and their relationship with their father has changed forever.” The judge quoted from letters written by the three sons of the couple. One of the sons wrote that they miss their father a lot and “would hate to see him grow old” in prison. “We would like to continue to have him be part of our lives because he’s the only one we’ve got. The past is the past and we cannot change it but we can alter the future.”

Another son wrote that his father was a changed man and that he had grown close to him. “I know that what he did was unacceptable and unthinkable. The past is the past... He confessed and apologized for what happened and I forgive him. I’m asking for the court to show mercy to my father.”

Outside court, Carmen Garcia, Editha’s aunt, said she respected the court’s decision but added she would have liked to have seen a stronger sentence. Garcia, who sponsored Editha to come to Canada, recalled her niece fondly.

“My niece was a caring, loving mother. She cared for her children. She was always very caring to all of us.”
Double-time credit was granted because the offence happened before the law changed to disallow the sentencing provison.

kfraser@theprovince.com

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