Porn CD cover presented; Bella Ruby’s legal counsel says evidence ‘illegal’

CEBU, Philippines - A prosecution witness from the PNP Crime Laboratory affirmed the evidences recovered from the crime scene and from the house of Bella Ruby Santos, who is accused in the kidnapping and murder of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique in 2011 along with her British boyfriend Ian Charles Griffiths.

The prosecution yesterday presented as their witness, Senior Inspector Oliver Lariosa of the PNP Crime Laboratory-7 who affirmed in court the evidences presented by the prosecution which included the USB, video cam, various tapes, and pictures taken by the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team inside the house of Santos.

This included the presentation of a pornographic CD cover which, according to defense lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo, is illegal.

In a manifestation before the court, Villagonzalo said former Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes ordered the CD cover be destroyed as it is not included in the application for search warrant.

He said Paredes issued an order to destroy the said item and to return other confiscated materials as this were not subject to the kidnapping with homicide case.

State Prosecutor Jerome Abarca said Lariosa’s testimony will establish that he was part of the SOCO team who conducted an inspection in Barili town where the body of Ellah Joy Pique was recovered.

Lariosa testified that he was present during the implementation of the search warrant in the Bella Ruby’s house in Inayagan, Naga City on March 4, 2011.

In his testimony, Lariosa affirmed the evidences gathered in the crime scene and in the house of Santos and even showed the bed covers with blood stains which was allegedly used to wrap the body of the victim as well as the cord used over the wrapped bedcovers.

Lariosa will be subjected to a cross examination on August 5.

Abarca, in an interview, denied any knowledge of defense lawyer Villagonzalo’s statement regarding the order of Paredes regarding the pornographic CD cover.

“I don’t know about the order…the evidences were only transmitted to us,” he said.

Ellah Joy was kidnapped on Feb. 8, 2011 while on her way home from Calajo-an Elementary School. The following day, she was found dead in Barili town. (FREEMAN)