He ‘Pressured’ her to take ecstasy: Ashley’s lover sued

CEBU, Philippines —  The family of 19-year-old Ashley Abad and the Cebu City Police filed a homicide complaint against Abad’s boyfriend, Nel Spencer Tiu, over the girl’s death on January 21, which was linked to party drug overdose.

Family members led by Ashley’s father, Jose Alfonso, filed the complaint before the Cebu City Prosecutors Office yesterday, about a month after Ashley collapsed during a pre-Sinulog concert in Cebu City and died the following day.

In his sworn statement, Jose Alfonso said Tiu “induced and pressured” Ashley into taking one whole drop of “silver skull” – a term referring to variant of Ecstasy – even if the latter only intended to take half.

The father’s affidavit stated further that Tiu negotiated the price of the “silver skull” with a certain Brian from P1,700 to P1,600, which Ashley found “expensive.”

Evidence

A screenshot of part of the lovers’ conversation, which was taken from Ashley’s phone examined by the PNP Crime Lab, and attached to the affidavit, reads as follows:

“Whole imo i-take? (Will you take whole drop?)”Ashley asked Tiu.

“Half, then follow-up one hour after,” the boyfriend replied.

“Dili lang ko mo-follow-up, babe, kay sayo pa ta momata the next day (I’m not taking another pill, babe. We have to get up early the following day),” Ashley said.

“Okay, baby. No worries,” he answered.

“Pero kuwang baya ka’g tug ana. Basin di nimo kaya og half. Even if mo-take ka og nap after. Basin di nimo makaya (You will lack sleep then. Maybe you cannot take it even if you take some nap after. Maybe you can’t take it),” Ashley said further.

“I don’t wanna risk it,” she said.

“Matog man ko ighuman (I will sleep after) boating. Power nap ba,” Tiu said. “Kaya ra, babe. I’m ever ready.”

Sounding worried, Ashley responded: “Sure ba. Di ko gusto mo-risk.”

Then Tiu said, “Risk it with me,” followed by a heart emoticon.

Juan Alfonso maintained that Ashley would not have died if Tiu did not “induce and emotionally pressure” her to take the whole drop of Ecstasy, as well as deliver the same to Ashley.

“Without Nel and his indispensable assistance, Ashley could not have taken the drug. Ashley would still have been alive today,” the father said.

Cebu City Police Director Royina Garma said Tiu and his layer Orlando Salatandre met her on February 14 to deny that he was the one who gave drugs to Ashley.

Days before that, on February 8, the Abads met with President Duterte in Malacañang to ask help in finding justice.

However, the President would tell reporters in Manila later that contrary to the screenshots, it was, in fact, Ashley, who was the source of the party drug.

Garma said the police will stick to the evidence they have gathered in relation to the case.

Police Regional Office-7 Director Debold Sinas also said he does not know where the President may have gotten his information.

He said they have prepared everything necessary to file the homicide complaint even before Duterte made the statement.

“Bag-o nagstorya si Duterte, naka-ready na man ang tanan (Before Duterte made the statement, everything was ready)," Sinas said.

Weak case?

In a press conference yesterday, Sinas said they have advised the Abad family that homicide may be a weak complaint.

"The family would like to file for homicide though we already informed them that very weak ang homicide," he said.

He said that while the evidence gathered was enough to file the complaint, the evidence was circumstantial.

"We have gathered evidences even though circumstantial, and that's good enough for filing of the case," Sinas said.

With the filing of the complaint before the prosecutors, the police will now consider the case closed.

"Kinahanglan i-close na natin (ang case). If naay another evidence ang family, present it again and we will re-evaluate. As of now, we have now an agreement to file a case for homicide as requested sa family ni Ashley (We have to close the case now. If there is new evidence, let the family present it and we will re-evaluate. For now, we’re filing a complaint for homicide as requested by Ashley’s family)," Sinas said.

A separate statement issued yesterday, the Abad family said they hope Tiu and his cohorts will be made accountable as they dared them “not to hide behind the phony skirt of wealth and influence.”

“We will bravely stay and fight, and guard the legal process ferociously, even with our lives, until justice is truly served.” – JMO (FREEMAN)