Blanca slay case opens today

The Nida Blanca case is airtight enough to stand the preliminary investigation at the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation said.

At 9:30 a.m. today, the preliminary investigation starts with the DOJ prosecutors summoning all the witnesses in the case.

"We have a strong case. We hope the preliminary investigation will go on smoothly," said NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco.

An hour before today’s start of the preliminary investigation, Wycoco will meet officials of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Nida Blanca’s daughter Kaye Torres and her lawyer Harriet Demetriou at his office to do some last minute tweaking before going to the DOJ.

Medel and Strunk, who is now in the United States, were earlier charged by the NBI with murder and parricide, respectively, before the Department of Justice in connection with the case. Medel is still detained at the NBI jail after he was arrested in Cebu for a libel case filed by the CIDG against him. Also charged were Atlanta Center building security guards Ricky Alvarez, Roberto Canete and Diolito Molines, for obstruction of justice.

Earlier, the NBI had invited Elena dela Paz, Blanca’s long-time personal assistant to furnish additional information on the case. – Mike Frialde