Suspect in Ella slay can’t be charged yet – De Lima

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has already identified the possible shooter of 7-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella but said the person cannot be charged yet because the firearm cannot be located, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said.

Ella died after she was hit by a stray bullet to the head on New Year’s eve. She was buried last Saturday.

“Sigurado kami na nagpaputok siya ng baril and sigurado rin kami na yung distance niya kay (We’re sure that the person fired the gun and we are certain that the distance between the possible shooter and) Nicole is within the effective range of the fatal shot that killed her. Mayroon pang circumstance na magpapatunay na (There were circumstances that tend to prove that) we are probably looking at the right suspect pero wala pa sa amin yung baril (but the gun is not yet in our hands),” De Lima told reporters Monday.

De Lima said the NBI has an eye witness and is continuing with its investigation.

“The reason ayaw pang pangalanan ng NBI kasi nga ayaw ma-jeopardize ang paghahanap sa kanya. Natukoy na siya kung sino siya based on [the] eye witness but we need to connect him to the firearm and the slug para airtight ang kaso (The reason the NBI has not yet named the possible shooter is to make sure the hunt for the person would not be jeopardized),” she said.

She said she is hoping that the P2-million reward offered by the government would help find the shooter.