Police want access to Pique evidence

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion to withdraw evidence before the court against British National Ian Charles Griffiths, who was charged for kidnapping with homicide over the kidnap-slay of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique.

The prosecution, through state prosecutor Je-rome Abarca, said the motion was made to strengthen their case against Griffiths, boyfriend of Bella Ruby Santos, who was earlier cleared of the charges for insufficiency of evidence. Griffiths is still at large.

 Abarca said they wanted to withdraw the two cut pieces of bed sheets and two cut blankets for further analysis.

The pieces of evidence, according to the prosecution, were identified by their witness, Senior Inspector Oliver Lariosa of the PNP Crime Laboratory-7, during his testimony.

Lariosa in 2013 testified that he was present during the implementation of the search warrant at the house of Santos in Inayagan, Naga City on March 4, 2011.

Earlier, the prosecution asked for the inhibition of Regional Trial Court Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 on Griffith’s case, but the latter dismissed the same citing there was no basis.

Griffiths likewise asked for a reconsideration of the court’s decision denying his motion to dismiss the kidnapping with homicide case.

Veloso has denied the motion to dismiss the case citing that the acquittal of Santos does not follow with Griffiths.

Pique was kidnapped on February 8, 2011 while she was on her way home from school. She was found the following day dumped in a ravine in Barili town.

Veloso, in her 17-page order dated October 10, 2014, granted the motion for demurer of evidence filed by Santos after the prosecutions’ witnesses failed to positively identify her as responsible for Pique’s death. — (FREEMAN)