Ellah Joy slay suspect intends to undergo trial By: Izobelle T. Pulgo @izobelleCDN 10:43 PM March 10th, 2017 ONE of the suspects in the kidnap-slay of Ellah Joy Pique has expressed interest to undergo trial. Ian Charles Griffiths has filed through his lawyer Rameses Victorious Villagonzalo a motion for chamber conference before the sala of Judge Ester Veloso of Regional Trial Court Branch 6. In his motion filed last Monday, Griffiths expressed his intention to undergo trial and requested the court to determine the place of his detention pending his bail application or trial, the schedule of the hearings, the complete list of prosecution witnesses and the appearance of private prosecutors. According to Villagonzalo, Griffiths will have to surrender once the hearing is underway as the case is non-bailable and his client has to be detained; thus, they want to know where the British national would be held in custody. Griffiths and his girlfriend Bella Ruby Santos were implicated in the kidnap-slay of Ella Joy, who was snatched by strangers riding a Pajero on February 8, 2011 at around 4 p.m. while the girl was walking home with friends from her school in Calajoan, Minglanilla. A woman with long hair called out Ellah Joy and asked for her mother’s name and address before offering to take her home, according to a witness’ account. Ellah Joy then boarded the vehicle and sat on the front seat on the woman’s lap while a Caucasian male foreigner drove the Pajero. The next day, the girl’s body was found wrapped in a blanket and dumped off a cliff in Barili town. More than three years since Ellah Joy was killed and kidnapped, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ester Veloso dismissed the case against Santos, who was then out on bail, for insufficiency of evidence. Griffiths, who was also accused of the crime, remains in London and out of reach of Philippine courts. Villagonzalo explained in a phone interview with Cebu Daily News that Griffiths maintained his innocence of the crime but pointed out that the motion was prompted by his client’s weariness at being restricted in his movements, especially when it comes to traveling. “Gikapoy man siya nga na-restrained iyang movement kay di siya kaadto sa mga countries nga naay extradition treaty with the Philippines. Unya iyang gusto nga maplantsa na na kung asa siya i-priso, especially kung makakuha ba ug marathon hearing.” Read more: http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/125677/ellah-joy-slay-suspect-intends-undergo-trial#ixzz4ayLG6rdX
I read this on Friday and I find it hard to believe that he is willing to subject himself to a potential trial.
This is almost certainly down to the fact that the Cebu PNP can't or won't cancel the Interpol 'Red Notice' in respect of Ian Griffiths which names him as a 'fugitive from justice' because he didn't stand trial in person; however he was effectively tried in absentia. He is effectively imprisoned in the UK and can not travel for fear of being arrested and deported to Cebu. The Philippine (in)justice system provides the prosecution with two attempts to prove his guilt. I really hope Ian fully appreciates and understands exactly what he is letting himself in for - at least 12 months in a Philippine jail, his trial will consist of weekly/fortnightly/monthly hearings of up to 2 hours at a time and the prosecution will seek to delay proceedings for as long as possible. If a different judge is balloted for the case and not Velloso who was a very fair and uncorrupt judge, he could be a red boiler-suited dancer in Cebu's notorious prison camp of a jail.
Having spoken with Ian Griffiths, I can reveal an update to this story: he will not be flying to Cebu and he will not be subjecting himself to a trial. He and his lawyer determined certain conditions which had to be met in order for him to agree to a trial. These included being immediately provided with the list of witnesses the Prosecutors intend to call together with their witness statements, "marathon" trial hearings as would be the case in an English Court of Law, unconditional bail and the trial to get underway as soon as he arrives. The Prosecutors - both State and Private - rejected all these out of hand and repeated that he had to prove his innocence. Significantly the PNP withdrew its Interpol "Red Notice" naming him as a fugitive from justice a year ago, after Santos was found not guilty. As the Prosecution's case at the trial of Griffith's fiancée, Bella Santos, was predicated on witnesses claiming to have seen she and Griffiths together before, during and after the alleged crimes were committed and Santos was acquitted, logic dictates that he too is innocent of the crime. To that end, Griffiths has, through and on the advice of his lawyers, submitted a petition to the Supreme Court which they are in the process of considering. If successful, that would remove the risk of arrest and deportation to the Philippines in the event that Griffiths travels outside the UK and indeed his chances of success are bolstered by the PNP quietly removing their Interpol "Red Notice" naming him as a fugitive from justice some time last year. I can also reveal that the Defence has known the killer's true identity long before the Santos' not guilty verdict was delivered. An Expat who was living in Minglanilla, Cebu, at the time was approached by Mrs Pique's Parish Priest, Mrs Pique being the victim's mother. She had confessed to being an accessory to her daughter's murder at the hands of her (Ella Joy's) father, a man with a known history of violence including wife-beating. As well as recounting the events of that day (of Ella Joy's death) in great detail, she told her Priest that she was willing to appear in court to testify against her increasingly violent husband but required protection, a change of identity and to be relocated elsewhere in the country. This information was relayed to the defence team who contacted the Priest and told him that none of Mrs Pique's conditions was in their gift but they could take her before the trial judge at a private hearing who could order those conditions to be met if she gave her testimony. Mrs Pique apparently declined. I am not sure whether the Judge knew about this but it wouldn't surprise me if she did: Griffith's lead attorney enjoys a close and friendly professional relationship and I do know that he has discussed certain elements of the case with her at private meetings in her Sala. Griffiths is in the process of applying for a visa so that Santos can come to the UK, marry him and settle.
Just WOW! I always suspected the Father..I think many did! This just validates those suspicions. How the Mother has not been persuaded to file a case is beyond me. Evil man. The PNP should hang their heads in shame.. As you well know the Griffiths`s were the second couple that they tried to fit up to resolve the case of the poor murdered child. When certain members here advocate human rights and justice in the Philippines,perhaps they should study this case hard and from the beginning.. Perhaps then,they may begin to understand why Filipino`s have scant respect or trust in the justice system here.
