Judge returns "items" to Santos

CEBU, Philippines - Bella Ruby Santos, one of the accused in the kidnap-slay of Ellah Joy Pique, took back her “items” in court yesterday.

Santos also recovered her Mitsubishi Pajero from the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-7 after Judge Mienrado Paredes denied the motion for partial reconsideration to retain the vehicle filed by the police unit.

Santos said she was happy that her belongings were returned to her. She added she will burn the sex toys seized by the CIDG in her house at Inayagan Naga City.

“Ang sex toys ako nalang sunugon…ganahan ta ko mogamit but nana to’y chemicals mao di nanako gamiton,” she said.

Santos claimed she is happy after the postponement of the public viewing of the USB flash drive and video camera.

The viewing was postponed after both parties to the case did not agree on whose laptop to use.

But before that, CIDG lawyer Inocensio dela Cerna pushed that a laptop owned by the government should be the one to be used.

Dela Cerna said their laptop will retrieve the files what exactly the date when it was taken.

However, Santos’ camp strongly opposed it.

Paredes set the viewing on May 6, 2011 and required both parties to bring an information technology (IT) expert to test the validity of the laptop. (FREEMAN)