3-man panel to probe Ellah Joy slay suspects

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has created a three-man panel to conduct the preliminary investigation against Ruby Bella Santos and her British boyfriend Ian Charles Griffiths who are facing complaints for kidnapping with homicide over the death of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique.

Acting provincial prosecutor Joseph Berciles has designated assistant provincial prosecutor Jose Edwin Renegade as head of the panel with prosecutors Annabelle Robles and Maria Luisa Ong as members.

The panel was given 60 days after the respondents’ submission of counter-affidavits to resolve the complaint.

“To have a fair investigation, the panel is needed to neglect any bias in resolving complaint,” Berciles told the members of the panel.

The panel will issue a subpoena to Santos and Griffiths to answer the complaint filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 against them. Based on the complaint and the counter-affidavits the panel will determine whether there is probable cause to elevate the complaint into formal criminal case before the Regional Trial Court.

Berciles said the panel can start the preliminary investigation even if there is a pending motion in court seeking to quash the search warrant earlier granted against Santos.

“The pending motion cannot affect in starting the investigation of the complaint filed because it was separate issue, Berciles said.

Santos and Griffiths were identified by at least 12 witnesses as the alleged culprits who snatched and killed Pique last month.

Pique was kidnapped on February 8 outside her school in Calajoan, Minglanilla. Her body was found a day after in Barangay Sayaw, Barili.

Meanwhile, acting Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador has assured Renante Pique, father of Ellah Joy, that there is nothing to worry about the alleged harassment of their witnesses by the private investigators hired by Santos.

“Well dili dapat mabalaka kay it will not affect the case,” Comendador said, as he also assured security for the witnesses.

Comendador earlier said they received reports that private investigators have been looking for their witnesses to influence them in favor of the suspects. –