Judge threatens to ban 2 lawyers

CEBU, Philippines - A judge threatened to ban two lawyers from the ongoing hearing of the case against Bella Ruby Santos, the accused in the kidnapping and killing of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique last year, because of their actuation.

“If you will continue to argue you will be banned to appear in this hearing,” Judge Ester Veloso of Regional Trial Court Branch 6 told prosecution lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna and defense lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo.

Judge Veloso told them to talk only when the court asks them to talk, during the hearing for kidnapping with homicide against Santos.

The incident came after dela Cerna asked the court to “strait-jacket” Villagonzalo for always standing and approaching lawyer Julius Caesar Entise while doing re-cross examination on prosecution witness Richard Ian Bansuan.

Dela Cerna said he was surprised when Villagonzalo joined Entise in front when the rule was only to have one lawyer.

Villagonzalo was seen pointing his finger at dela Cerna while saying, “ayaw sige’g pasingit diha.”

Dela Cerna said the act of Villagonzalo was an act of desperation.

However, Villagonzalo said dela Cerna was hallucinating. “Magsige og pasingit,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the continuation of the re-direct examination of Richard Ian Bruce Bansuan, he said that on February 8, 2011 he went to Mantayupan, Barili to enjoy the birthday party of their friend.

He added that at past 11:00 p.m. while traversing Sayaw Beach in Barili he saw a vehicle moving slowly. At the blind curve, he said he saw that the vehicle parked. While at the opposite side of the road, he said he could clearly see a man standing at the back of the vehicle because of the internal and tail lights of the vehicle.

He added he saw Ian Charles Griffiths pulled a white sack from the vehicle, put it on the gutter and pushed it to the ravine.

Bansuan pointed in the map the particular area where he was standing and where he saw Griffiths.

Lawyer Julius Caesar Entise for the defense said that by presenting the map and asking Bansuan of the particular area were he was, would cut the circumstantial evidence because Griffiths was not in the area.

Dela Cerna said based on the testimony of Bansuan, the defense failed to break his testimony as to his theory that he saw Griffiths because of the internal and tail lights.

Ellah Joy Pique was kidnapped on February 8, 2011 while she was on her way home from school. Pique was found the following day at the ravine in Barili.

Bella Ruby Santos and Ian Charles Griffiths were charged for kidnapping with homicide. – (FREEMAN)