CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force suspects a syndicate is behind the abduction and murder of six-year-old girl Ellah Joy Pique whose body was found in Barili a day after she was abducted in Minglanilla.
This as the Minglanilla municipal council offered a P100,000 for information leading to the arrest of her killers.
Task force team leader, Senior Insp. Maria Theresa Macatangay said they have two witnesses, whose accounts match, that there were at least three people who could have thrown Pique’s body.
A fisherman in Barili, Macatangay told them that between 4 to 5 a.m. last Wednesday, he saw silhouettes of three people atop a slope using three flashlights. Pique’s body was found at around 7 a.m. down the slope.
“Sige daw sila og iwag sa pangpang gamit tulo ka flashlights. Ngitngit man kaayo ang area. Siguro nangita na to sila asa itagak ang lawas sa bata,” Macatangay said.
Macatangay said the fisherman’s claims coincide with that of another man who was jogging near the area that same time.
The man, Macatangay said, reported seeing a sports vehicle with people, whose faces he could not recognize because of the dark, talking outside.
“Naa’y bayot pa daw ang inistoryaan. Ang iyang nabatian nga gisulti sa bayot nga naa pa daw sila’y kuhaon sa sulod (of the car),” Macatangay said.
A day prior to the discovery of the body, Ella Joy was abducted outside her school in Calajoan, Minglanilla, around 4 p.m. by a Filipina and a foreigner who rode on a Pajero.
Macatangay said their investigation so far showed that the motive behind the abduction is human trafficking.
“There is exploitative purpose on trafficking. Uso ra ba karon ang child pornography, so posible gipugos siya og pabuhat sa di niya ganahan buhaton,” she said.
Macatangay said their case is not yet enough to file a case but some of their evidence are enough to lead them to possible suspects.
Right now, the task force is coordinating with several agencies including the Scene of the Crime Operatives for the autopsy result, Land Transportation Office-7 for the possible owners of the partial plate number of the vehicle witnesses saw —reportedly 679— and the International Justice Mission.
Macatangay said they have already asked help from the IJM for their record on pedophiles and sex offenders in Cebu.
“Gitagaan jud mi og standing order ni sir (Sr. Supt. Augusto) Marquez, executive officer sa task force, na sulbaron gyud ning kasoha kay dili ni basta-basta na panghitabo, ug alarming,” she said.
Meanwhile, members of Minglanilla town council, during their special session yesterday, agreed to put up a P100,000 reward to whoever can give information that will lead to the arrest of the killers of Pique.
The council yesterday approved a resolution authorizing the town’s disbursing officer to deduct the amount from the councilors’ monthly honoraria.
Councilor Concordio Mejias said they have agreed not to use the town’s fund as it usually takes a long process for the money to be released and they want the killers to be arrested immediately.
He said each councilor will only need to shell out less than P10,000 as there are already businessmen in Minglanilla who have voluntarily donated a chunk of the reward.
Mejias said if they can accumulate more than P100,000 the rest of the money will be given to the family of Pique. Mayor Eduardo Selma has also promised to give financial aid to the family.
Pique was abducted Tuesday afternoon and was found dead early morning the next day in Barili town. (FREEMAN)