Hunt for Bella Ruby Santos goes to Bohol

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the Task Force Ellah Joy are scouring the entire Bohol province since last week following reports that Bella Ruby Santos is hiding somewhere in the province.

A source told The FREEMAN that the operatives of the task force have been conducting operation in Bohol to serve the warrant of arrest for kidnapping with homicide against Santos.

The operation stemmed from information allegedly coming from Santos’ mother, Perla Bautista. According to the source, Bautista is helping the police locate her daughter who is now wanted together with her British boyfriend Ian Charles Griffiths for the kidnapping and murder of six-year-old Ellah Joy Peque in February.

It was Bautista who allegedly told the police that Santos is just somewhere in Bohol and has already changed her identity. Based on the information received by the police, Santos has cut her hair and changed her looks.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Patrocinio Comendador, who also serves as spokesman of the Task Force, refused to neither confirm nor deny an on going operation in Bohol.

According to him, it is not necessary where Santos is but what matters is that they are doing a tight operation to catch her.

“Basta mga ingon ana ang dali nga usbon buhok ra man gyud kay sa lalaki pa, pwede magpa-opaw or kuhaon ang bigote,” he said.

Santos and Griffiths are facing charges for kidnapping with homicide before the Regional Trial Court. They were accused of kidnapping and killing Peque in February in Calajoan, Minglanilla.

The victim was on her way home from school when snatched by the suspects at 4:00 p.m. Her body was found in Barili a day after she was kidnapped.