Berger's laptop checked; nothing incriminating

CEBU, Philippines - The laptop believed to contain evidence against Sven Erik Berger and Karen Esdrelon, suspects in the abduction and killing of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique, turned out nothing incriminating.

The black Asus laptop owned by Esdrelon, 24, only showed family photos and personal pictures of the couple during their stay in Cebu City, said their lawyer Salvador Solima.

Solima confirmed that the laptop cannot be used as evidence against his clients, instead it only proves them as innocent in the killing of Pique last week.

“Way angayang ipa-kita nga bati kay it only proves that there were no illegal activities made,” Solima said.

The laptop, which has been under the custody of the PNP since the couple was apprehended last February 12, was believed to contain evidence against the suspects. But Berger said it contains evidence that would clear them instead.

An Information Technology expert was tasked by the PNP to open the laptop and retrieve deleted files. It took around two hours.

Solima said he will file a writ of habeas corpus today at the Provincial Fiscal’s Office for an immediate resolution of the case.

Berger, 49 of Oslo, Norway was sent to a doctor yesterday after he experienced difficulty in breathing and back pain. Berger said he was having a hard time sleeping because of the stress of the situation.

Froi Lovestal, consul of the Norwegian embassy in Manila, yesterday went to the Cebu Provincial Police Office, where the couple was detained, to check on Berger’s situation.

Lovestal said she was trying to make sure that Berger will be provided with a doctor and treated well.

“We are following the case and we want it to be solved fairly,” she said.

Lovestal added that she was securing the legal protection of Berger since Philippines and Norway have different laws.

“We are handling the case in different ways. We are not here to speculate,” she said.

Meanwhile, Elmer Herrera, the sketch artist of the cartographic sketches said that he was not a hundred percent sure that what he drew coincides with the appearance of the suspects since he only based the sketches on descriptions given to him by the witnesses.

“Ang foreigner ang buhok ang deperensiya kay sa drawing medyo upaw man unya labong man siya og buhok,” Herrera said.

Both suspects were arrested at the Mactan Cebu International Airport after Immigration personnel claimed they matched the cartographic sketches circulated by the PNP.

The couple, who are engaged, was supposed to fly to Hong Kong to celebrate Valentine’s Day there.

Ellah’s naked body was found by a councilman on the morning of February 9 beside the National Highway in Sitio Palalong, Barangay Guibuangan, Barili town. The body was wrapped using a white bed sheets.

Her school bag was recovered nearby. Police found two P50 bills and other belongings in the bag.

Soliman said the itineraries of the couple will be submitted to the fiscal’s office today which will serve as their strong evidence of the case filed against them.

“We have certifications and documents so I’ll make sure they will be released,” Solima said. — /BRP (FREEMAN)