Griffiths, Santos dared to file multi-million dollar damage suit

CEBU, Philippines - The Task Force Ellah Joy has challenged Ian Charles Griffiths and his girlfriend Bella Ruby Santos to file their “multi-million dollar damage suit” against the authorities that tagged them in the kidnap-slay of the six-year-old girl last February.

This way, according to task force head Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador, it would also be a chance to serve the arrest warrant against the two.

As that developed, the omnibus motion to lift the issuance of the warrant of arrest and the determination of probable cause filed by Santos and Griffiths were submitted yesterday for resolution.

“They have the right to file a case but mas maayo ug makita sila nga mopirma sa atubangan sa korte,” Comendador said.

The police official added that the two are merely copying the charges filed by Karen Esdrelon and Sven Erik Berger. The provincial director claimed that Santos and Griffiths should bear in mind that Esdrelon and Berger are different people and that they are facing different complaints.

However, if they will file a case in court, the task force will eventually arrest them.

“Sa kadugay na nako sa serbisyo kung ang tanan nga na-isyuhan og warrant mukiha, kadaghan na kahang pulis ang nakihaan,” Comendador told reporters.

The task force is still monitoring information about Santos’ exit through Toledo City and San Carlos City. But the police are still validating this information to make sure the source of information is not polluted.

But he assured that Santos is not in Hong Kong as what was earlier reported.

Meanwhile at the court, the omnibus motion to lift the issuance of the warrant of arrest and the determination of probable cause filed by Santos and Griffiths was submitted for resolution.

Judge Ester Veloso of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 6 verbally ordered this yesterday, saying the motion will be resolved after the defense can submit its rejoinder. Veloso gave defense lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo 10 days to file a rejoinder.

Villagonzalo said they will attach in their rejoinder the letter from the UK police saying Griffiths is free to leave the country if he wishes to do so.

“The letter coming from the UK police is a material defense,” he said, adding that the UK police stated no case was established.

Earlier report said that Griffiths, who was held by UK authorities in connection with kidnapping with homicide, was released from the custody of the Metropolitan Police Service on June 28.

Detective Inspector Andrew Chaimers of the Homicide and Serious Command Metropolitan Police Service in the United Kingdom said they did not have the legal basis to continue detaining Griffiths because there was no official extradition proceeding initiated by the Philippine Government.

Chaimers said they have also stopped all investigative activity in relation to the kidnapping with homicide case against Griffiths in Cebu.

Villagonzalo said the opposition filed by the prosecution has no weight as they were wrong in claiming that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the motion filed by Santos.

“There is jurisprudence that the court can hear a motion even if the accused was not arrested,” Villagonzalo said.

He also said the lawyers from the Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB) have no authority to prosecute the case.

This is after the lawyer Jo-ann Saniel manifested in court that they did not receive a copy of the omnibus motion of Santos and Griffiths. But because of the court’s order to furnish a copy to the CLB, then he will comply. — (FREEMAN)