Police support for Pique case assured

CEBU, Philippines - The new provincial police chief has assured support for the family of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique in the ongoing homicide case versus Bella Ruby Santos and British national Ian Charles Griffiths.

Santos and Griffiths are the suspects in Pique’s kidnapping and death over two years ago.

“Ipasalig nako niya nga ipadayon ang pagmonitor sa kaso ug ma-update pud ni (I can assure him that we will continue to monitor and update him about the case,” said Sr. Supt. Noel Gillamac.

Gillamac’s assurance came after Pique’s father, Renante, expressed concern over the case following the change of command at the Cebu Provincial Police Office. Gillamac officially assumed as CPPO chief yesterday, replacing Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador.

Renante who attended the event yesterday admitted he was surprised and worried by the change in leadership.

“Pirmiro nawagtangan ko ug kusog kay nahadlok ko sa dagan unya sa kaso (At first, I got worried about what is going to happen to the case),” Renante said, but he was eventually relieved when he learned that Gillamac is trustworthy.

“Sa akong pagkahibalo nga kasaligan sad siya murag nawala akong kabalaka, ang importante mapadyon ang kaso (I learned that he can be trusted so I was relieved. What’s important is for the case to continue),” Renante said.

It was reportedly Comendador who informed him about the leadership change through a text message last Saturday.

Ellah Joy was abducted in Minglanilla on February 8, 2011. Her body was found down a cliff in Barili, another town in western Cebu.

The Task Force Ellah Joy together with the Minglanilla Police and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-7 eventually collated evidence that tagged Santos and Griffiths to the crime.

A year after the incident, Santos was arrested in Manila while Griffiths remains at large. This was one of the biggest accomplishments of CPPO under Comendador’s leadership.

Comendador himself assured Renante that the case will have closure even if he is no longer CPPO chief.

“I turned over the case folder to Gillamac and assured him (Renante) to have a successful closure of it,” Comendador said.

Gillamac is set to meet with Renante over the case. — (FREEMAN)