Perjury filed against witnesses

CEBU, Philippines - The owner of the Mitsubishi Pajero police say was used in the kidnapping of Ellah Joy Pique has filed a complaint against the four witnesses whose testimonies led to the application of the search warrant on the vehicle.

Bella Ruby Santos filed a perjury case against SPO2 Willard Selibio, PO3 Angelito Yaun and witnesses Richard Ian Bruce Bansuan and Ligaya Escultos before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for bearing false witness against her.

Santos admitted that she was the owner of the house and lot in Barangay Inayagan, Naga City, and the Pajero bearing license plates LMJ-382 and added her residence was searched through the search warrant issued by Judge Mienrado Paredes.

Santos said the application for search warrant by Insp. Fermin Armendarez was based on the statements of Escultos and Bansuan who claimed they saw the vehicle parked beside the road of Sayaw, Barili town bearing license plates LHJ-382.

“That as we passed by, we noticed his companion as female inside the vehicle but unfortunately we did not clearly recognize her. During that night, the area was not dark because of the inside light of the vehicle and it was lighted by a lamppost,” Santos quoted the joint affidavit of Escultos and Bansuan.

But Santos said that the area is pitch black at night and there is no lamppost in the area.

Santos also said Escultos and Bansuan said on February 8 they went to a fishpond in Barangay Mantayupan for a celebration. She said it was not a fishpond but AC Tilapia Fun Fishing.

Santos said her vehicle looks black at night and not navy blue with gray-silver stripes and claimed that her plate number was LMJ-382 and not LHJ-382 as what Escultos and Bansuan saw.

She also said Selibio lied under oath when he testified that a vehicle with license plate numbers LHJ-382 brought the body of Ellah Joy to the area, and Yaun also lied he testified he saw a woman in the house when they conducted the surveillance.

Santos said she was away from her house February 9, 2011 up to the implementation of the search warrant on March 4, 2011 which can be attested to by her caretaker Rolan Arao.

Six-year-old Ellah Joy was abducted in Minglanilla last Feb. 8 and found dead, naked and wrapped in sheets the following day in Barili town. Police suspect she had been used in child pornography.

Cebu Provincial Police Office officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said they will not be intimidated by the charges.

Task force Ellah Joy stands by the statement of the witnesses, the official said.

“There are slight inconsistencies with their statements but we make sure that generally the fact is there. Too perfect stories are too good to be true,” Comendador said.

The task force also defended their credibility over allegations they tampered with the license plates of the Pajero.

 Comendador said they have pictures to serve as evidence showing the vehicle’s condition from the time it was found until when it was taken under PNP custody.

Meanwhile, Paredes said the application for search warrant is not hearsay.

Paredes told the court yesterday Selibio Yaun and Escultos do appear to have personal knowledge in the case.

The statement of Paredes was contrary to the grounds and arguments of Santos through their motion to quash search warrant.

Santos, through her lawyer Ana Luz Cristal, stated in their motion to quash the application for search warrant was not valid as this was based on hearsay since the witnesses had no personal knowledge of the incident.

But Paredes stated jurisprudence from the Supreme Court for the issuance of search warrant. (FREEMAN)