SUV owner gets death threats

CEBU, Philippines - The owner of the Mitsubishi Pajero police say was used in the abduction of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique has reportedly been receiving threatening text messages, according to her lawyer.

Ana Luz Crystal, the lawyer of Bella Ruby Santos, yesterday said after her client went to a hearing for their motion to quash the search warrant against Santos in the Regional Trial Court Branch 13 last week, her client started to receive threats.

“I don’t know what exactly the text message because it was in Cebuano, but one thing is for sure it was a threat for Bella,” Crystal said.

Crystal added her clients Bella and Ian Charles Griffith are under a lot of stress because the case.

“Hindi pa naka-cope si Bella umiiyak pa din but medyo nahimasmasan na ta. Si Ian naman medyo galit sa simula kasi nadadawit ang pangalan nya but ngayon okay na,” Crystal said.

Crystal said both her clients are in Manila but if the court needs them to appear they will not hesitate to do so. She said she will not advise her clients to leave the country as it would weaken their case.

She remains firm in her belief the search warrant was invalid and that the seized items by the police from the house of Santos cannot be used as evidence.

“The search warrant is invalid and this cannot be used in any proceedings in court as the law says,” Crystal said.

Crystal went to court yesterday to make a follow-up with the motion they filed. She added the court ordered them to submit their comment to the motion filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detention Group to take custody of the seized items.

Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes said the motion filed by the CIDG is set for hearing.

“They have to orally argue whether or not the seized items will remain in court or the CIDG will take the custody,” Paredes said.

CIDG wants that the seized items to remain with their office for further investigation but Paredes said the evidence must be returned to the court to safeguard from any possible tampering.

The evidence seized includes a computer and electronic devices, an electrical cord and samples of bloodstains and hair strands.

Pique was abducted in Minglanilla before being found dead in Barili last month.

Two persons were initially held by the police as suspects but they were later cleared by the National Bureau of Investigation. — /BRP (FREEMAN)