Christine Silawan Killing: More suspects eyed

CEBU, Philippines — Police now have information on three other suspects that allegedly conspired with the 17-year-old suspect in killing Christine Lee Silawan, Police Regional Office - 7 Director Debold Sinas said yesterday.

"Nag-follow-up pa mi ug leads sa katong uban kay, kabalo mo, katong suspects are not less than three kay kadto dili makaya og usa ra, and naa pa mi gitan-aw nga lain suspects kaniadto (We’re following up on the leads on the other suspects because there were not less than three. One person could not have done that)," Sinas said.

 Aside from looking for the other suspects, Sinas said investigators are also tracing where the crime committed exactly and what weapons the suspects used.

"Kasi, ang gi-request sa fiscal, pangitaon ang original crime scene and weapons nga gigamit (The fiscal requested that we locate the original crime scene and weapons that the suspects used)," Sinas said yesterday.

Silawan, 16, was found lifeless at a vacant lot in Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City on March 11 with half of her face skinned and her undergarments removed. She died of at least 20 stab wounds and was believed to have been killed the night before.

Her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend is the primary suspect and is now facing a complaint for murder in relation the cybercrime prevention act filed by the National Bureau of Investigation.

The NBI said the ex-boyfriend allegedly communicated with Silawan online hours leading to her killing.

In filing the complaint, the NBI relied on circumstantial evidence, particularly footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that reportedly showed the boy being the last person with Silawan the night the girl was killed.

The NBI arrested the boy about five days after Silawan’s body was found but prosecutors ordered his release, saying the search of his house and eventual arrest do not constitute a hot pursuit.

Invalidate

Questioning the legality of his client’s arrest, lawyer Vincent Isles asked the court to invalidate the other pieces of evidence that the NBI took from the boy’s house during his arrest.

Isles said the Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) was not sufficient to cover other pieces of evidence such as two pairs of shoes, men’s shorts, men’s underwear, a cap, and pieces of paper with unidentified stain.

“They should have asked for a Search Warrant for that, not a WSSECD,” Isles said.

“Every Filipino citizen is entitled to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures of their persons, houses, papers and effects.” Isles said.

He also asked the court to direct the NBI to return the items.

“Without any legal basis for the said seizure, the said articles should be returned to the minor and his family.” the motion reads. —  Micole Gerard J. Tizon, USC Intern JMO