CHR-7 ends probe on Silawan murder

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR)-7 has ended its investigation into the brutal killing of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan two months ago.

Silawan, a Grade 9 student of Maribago National High School, was found dead last March 11 on a vacant lot at Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City.

The autopsy report disclosed she died between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. of March 10.

CHR-7 Regional Director lawyer Arvin Odron said he is now waiting for the submission of his investigators’ report.

“I am just waiting for the submission of the Final Investigation Report of the Investigation Section. We are now closing our investigation,” he said.

The Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office had earlier indicted Renato Llenes, 42, who earlier claimed he was the one who killed Silawan.

State Prosecutors Angelo Hizon Barrios, Francis Ian Birondo, and Jude Henritz Ycong found grounds to charge Llenes in court and not the ex-boyfriend of Silawan.

“The chain of events as captured by the CCTV footages wherein Llenes was identified to be the profiled person wearing black shirt, short pants, and a ball cap while holding a mobile phone in his right hand before meeting with Christine and as the same person last seen with Christine create a circumstance that he could be the person responsible for her death,” read the joint-resolution.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 represented by its director, Atty. Tomas Enrile, and the victim’s mother, Lourdes Silawan Pardillo, earlier filed murder in relation to cybercrime law against the girl’s 17-year-old ex-boyfriend.

The NBI’s investigation revealed the 17-year-old boy was allegedly the last person seen together with the victim in Barangay Pajac, said the NBI.

This was supported by 11 video clips coming from the different closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages in the area.

However, the Lapu-Lapu City police filed a separate complaint for the death of Silawan. They filed murder complaint against Llenes.

The police attached the extra-judicial confession of Llenes, who owned up to the killing of Silawan, whom he had communicated through messenger.

Since complaints were already filed before the Prosecutor’s Office for the girl’s death, they were more into giving financial assistance to the Silawan family, Odron said.

However, no exact amount is determined yet, since he has to receive the final investigation report.

“As to the exact amount of financial assistance the CHR can offer, I cannot determine yet, in the absence of the investigation report.  But it all depends on the gravity or seriousness of the violation,” he said. (FREEMAN)