Santos says flash disk wasn't hers

CEBU, Philippines - Yesterday’s viewing of the flash disk owned by Bella Ruby Santos, one of those accused in the abduction and killing of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique, revealed photo files of the teenagers and some documents, but no pictures of Ellah Joy.

But Santos later said the flash disk was not hers. The one viewed yesterday was white while she insisted her flash disk was black.

It was freelance Information Technology expert Leo John Oliveros, 30, a graduate of Computer Engineering, who opened the flash disk for viewing.

Oliveros was hired Regional Trial Court Judge Meinrado Paredes to stop the presumption of bias from both prosecution and defense, he was accompanied by his own lawyer Kit Enriquez.

Oliveros randomly opened files in three folders in the flash disk.  Some of the documents were resumés and letters.

There were also 2x2 photos of the faces of male and female teenagers and files that could not be opened because the computer used to view the flash disk had no Windows Media Player software.

Due to lack of time, the viewing will resume on July 11, 2011.

Before the viewing the contents of the flash disk were screened for the satisfaction of both parties.

He also reminded Oliveros to skip a file if it is found to be a sex video because this is irrelevant to the case of kidnapping with homicide which had been filed against Santos and her British boyfriend Charles Ian Griffiths.

The viewing was done inside the chamber of Paredes in the presence of representatives from the prosecution and defense, the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group, the parents of Ellah Joy, relatives of Santos, members of the media, a clerk of court and a stenographer.

According to TV Patrol Central Visayas Santos had been sick for several days now and was not able to attend the viewing yesterday. 

She denied knowing anything about the contents of the white flash disk and said it did not belong to her but to a certain Robert Presbitero who she claimed was her computer technician.

Meanwhile, Paredes denied the motion of Santos to burn or cut to pieces the empty CD covers, he likewise ordered the CIDG to turn over all items mentioned by Santos in her motion to surrender items seized through the virtue of search warrant.  (FREEMAN)