Abad’s BF ‘not off the hook yet’

CEBU, Philippines — Despite insisting on his innocence before the city police, the boyfriend of party drug overdose victim Ashley Abad is not yet cleared from possible liabilities, the top official of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas said yesterday.

Neil Spencer Tiu and his lawyer Orlando Salatandre privately met with Cebu City Police Office director Senior Supt. Royina Garma Thursday last week to deny giving Ecstasy to Abad before a pre-Sinulog party in Cebu City in January that led to the teen’s death.

But PRO-7 director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas told reporters yesterday that the recent statement of Tiu cannot add weight to the investigation and is considered inadmissible in court.

As far as Sinas is concerned, Tiu and six friends remain subjects of the investigation.

Sinas said that Tiu denied putting any drug into Abad’s drink but mentioned two people who are now being investigated.

Sinas did not reveal the names of the two. He only said homicide charges will be filed against person or persons responsible if investigation warrants.

“Yes, (the two are) -- part of the friends and boyfriend, but dili pa namo nganlan (but we will not name him/her yet),” said the PRO-7 chief.

“After siya (Tiu) nag-report sa amo-a, we will not anymore invite him again because we are ready to file the case. It was his allegations so let him be. Iyang testimony di na namo gamiton (we won’t use his testimony). We have other testimonies that might differ (from his) accounts,” he added.

As of now, PRO-7 is still waiting for the official report from the CCPO, which is still evaluating the case.

“The inquiry was made if there was overdose on drug. Now we have to know if it was self-inflicted or of someone induced it. That's why importante ang boyfriend. Nipakita ang boyfriend pero wala nihatag written account; dili sad pa-video,” Sinas said.

Abad collapsed while attending a party eve of Sinulog at the Cebu Business Park. She died hours later in the hospital.

The autopsy showed she died of Ecstasy overdose. Considered as illegal by the authorities, Ecstasy is a psychoactive drug primarily used for recreational purposes. — JMD (FREEMAN)