Interpol lists Griffiths, asks police to prepare extradition
Ian Charles Griffiths, the British national who is one of two suspects in the kidnap-murder of 6-year-old Ellah Joy Pique, is now in the Interpol Red Notice list.
The Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) directed the Cebu Provincial Police Office director to process the papers for Griffiths’ extradition to the Philippines.
“Prepare his extradition papers and request for provisional arrest to be sent to United Kingdom through the Department of Justice (DOJ),” said Director Felizardo Serapio, executive director of PCTC.
Griffiths and his Cebuana partner Bella Ruby Santos are facing kidnapping with homicide charges in relation to Ellah Joy’s death.
However, Cebu Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba, said the DOJ has yet to finish processing the government-to-government request to send Griffiths to Cebu.
Petralba along with lawyers of the Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7, and public prosecutors convened to discuss the case.
Santos, who was arrested in Manila on Oct. 7, is now detained at the Naga City police detention cell.
Ellah Joy’s counsel, however, suffered a setback after Naga City Prosecutor Napoleon Alburo dismissed the complaint for child pornography against Santos.
In dismissing the complaint, Alburo said the pornographic items were not included in the items mentioned in the search warrant of the police.
Alburo said there are no allegations or evidences presented to prove that Santos distributed such pornographic materials.
Defense lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo said the recent ruling “is just the start of a series of victories that we are aiming for.”
Santos’ lawyers intend to file a petition for bail on Monday. /With Correspondent PATRICIA ANDREA PATEÑA
