Task Force wants witness protection

CEBU, Philippines - Task Force Ellah Joy has submitted the names of the prosecution witnesses against suspects Bella Ruby Santos and Ian Charles Griffiths to the Department of Justice for inclusion in the Witness Protection Program.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, head of the task force, said that all witnesses are safe in light of reports that there are efforts to pay them off.

He said that such allegations are not surprising as it has already been reported before that there were private investigators hired by Santos to track the witnesses.

“Kato pa nang sauna nga gipangkamang kuno among mga witnesses unya hatagan ug kwarta,” Comendador said.

He assured that all witnesses are ready for the arraignment of the case this October 24.

It will be the DOJ that would determine who would qualify for the program.

During the task force’s case conference on Thursday afternoon, Comendador disclosed that they are planning their legal strategies.

He also said that while Santos and Griffiths will be facing charges for kidnapping with homicide, the authorities would also pursue a case of pornography.

This stemmed from the various compact discs that were found in the residence of Santos that were allegedly covered with pictures of naked minors.

Challenge

   Defense counsel Rameses Villagonzalo has denied the allegations that their camp is offering P500,000 to one of prosecution’s witnesses to recant.

“I challenge the CIDG to file a case as they claimed their witnesses were bribed to recant their statements,” he said.

Villagonzalo added the allegations of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was only meant to gain sympathy from the public.

Several lawyers are defending Santos and Griffiths.

Lawyers Lyndon Maceren, Julius Entise, Roberto Rublico, and Robel Ubod are the other members of the defense team.

The camp of Santos and Griffiths believes that the statements made by Provincial Prosecutor Jane Petralba against Griffiths saying that “If he’s innocent, face trial,” was both dangerous and very wrong.

They cited Article III of the Bill of Rights, Section 14 (2) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution claiming the statements of Petralba contradicts such law.

They likewise said that Petralba’s statement contradicts Article 14.2 of the UNHCR “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” which states that “Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law.”

They also said that Article 11.(1) of the United Nations’ “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” states that “Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense.”

They said the statement of Petralba could “adversely affect any future extradition or mutual legal assistance” request made by the Philippines to United Kingdom claiming the State was disregarding the constitutional and human rights of Griffiths.

“Furthermore her statement could jeopardize the success of any extradition request the State makes with any other UN member nation at some future date for other cases. With these legal argumentations that we already pinned her down, her future claim of being misquoted is unacceptable,” the comment reads.

Villagonzalo said the counsels of Griffiths are studying if they will file libel cases to those people who issued statements which they branded as “libellous.”

Santos and Griffiths are charged for kidnapping with homicide before Judge Ester Veloso of Regional Trial Court Branch 6 in relation to the death of Ellah Joy Pique last February.

 Pique was walking home from the Calajoan Elementary School in Minglanilla town last February 8 when she was allegedly abducted by a Filipina woman and a Caucasian, who were on board a dark colored sports utility vehicle.

The girl’s body was found the next day in the south western town of Barili.—/NLQ (FREEMAN)