Pique kidnap-slay: Bella Ruby, Griffiths charged in court

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office filed in court yesterday the criminal case for kidnapping with homicide against Bella Ruby Santos and her British boyfriend Ian Charles Griffiths after finding probable cause to indict them over the death of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique last February.

The prosecutor’s office elevated the case before the Regional Trial Court following the denial of the motion for reconsideration of the accused.

Private prosecutor Inocencio dela Cerna, counsel for the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, tried but failed to expedite the issuance of the warrant of arrest against the accused after the court denied his urgent motion to have a special raffling of the case.

Dela Cerna would have wanted an immediate raffling of the case so that a judge can already issue the warrant of arrest.

Dela Cerna and his associate lawyer Hazan Bargamento cited “high risk and probability of flight” of the accused considering that the crime charged is non-bailable.

“Taking into account, the signs and high probability of flight of the accused herein, considering the fact that she has slowly disposed her personal and real properties like residential house and vehicle,” the motion reads.

However, acting RTC Executive Judge Silvestre Maamo denied the motion for lack of merit. The case will be raffled on Monday next week.

The three-man panel created by the provincial prosecutor’s office earlier found probable cause to indict Santos and Griffiths of the crime of kidnapping with homicide.

The panel composed of prosecutors Anabelle Robles, Jose Edwin Renegado and Maria Luisa Ong believe there are sufficient grounds to hold the accused for trial over the death of Pique.

Pique was kidnapped last February in Calajoan, Minglanilla, her body was later found in Barili. Cyber pornography is believed to be the motive behind the kidnap-slay.   - (THE FREEMAN)