President Benigno Aquino III FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Buoyed by good leads on the case, President Benigno Aquino III has raised a P2-million bounty for the arrest of the suspect in the killing of 7-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella outside her home in Caloocan City during New Year revelry.
Malacañang on Sunday confirmed that the President mentioned the bounty in last Thursday’s dialogue with reporters of the Radio Mindanao Network, where he declared that the police would arrest the gunman soon.
“There had been good progress on the case. In fact the President has begged off from mentioning the details so as not to tip off the subject,’’ Undersecretary Abigail Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson, said over government-run dzRB.
Ella was killed by indiscriminate firing when she and her father stepped outside their home in suburban Caloocan to watch fireworks welcoming the New Year. Her killing has sparked outrage and revived calls for a total ban on private guns.
Since her death from a gunshot wound in the head days later in a hospital, several individuals who fired their guns in the vicinity of Ella’s home on New Year’s Eve had turned themselves in to the authorities.
And just last Friday, the National Bureau of Investigation said it had a witness who could point to the gunman, but said ballistics tests were still being conducted to ascertain if the bullet that hit Ella had been fired from this suspect’s gun.
In the dialogue with the RMN staff, the President said the authorities had good leads on at least two suspects, and were close on their trail.
“A good thing happened to the case in Caloocan: several witnesses came forward and – I didn’t catch it on the media – but there is supposed to be and I authorized a P2-million reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the assailant,’’ Aquino said.
The leads given by the witnesses gave the authorities confidence that they would catch the two suspects “given enough time,’’ he said.
“There is actually a solution already to the crime. We expect arrests to be made. Hopefully, we will find the evidence that will solidify the case that is being prepared at this time,’’ Aquino said.
Malacañang mourned the passing of Ella, and pressed Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima to identify the “reckless individual’’ that caused her death.
Secretary Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesperson, said the tragedy was a “sobering reminder of how a reprehensible act from a thoughtless individual can rob our people, particularly our children, of their futures.’’
“For such a promising life to be lost in such a senseless way puts the burden on all of us to make certain that this tragedy is not repeated. We continue to call on all Filipinos: Let us consider the welfare of our countrymen by engaging in celebrations in a responsible and safe manner,’’ he said.