Court nixes bid to return Bella to jail

A CEBU City trial court recently denied a plea to return kidnap-slay suspect Bella Ruby Santos to jail.

In her order dated June 4, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 found no sufficient basis to reverse an earlier ruling that granted Santos bail.

“The court is not unmindful of the gravity of the crime charges but justice must be dispensed with an even hand,” she said.

Bail was granted pending resolution of the charges in connection to the kidnap-slay of 6-year-old Ellah Joy Pique.

Veloso ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution is “not strong enough” to deny Santos’ application for bail.

The prosecution earlier filed a motion for reconsideration to contest the court decision to allow Santos to post bail.

The prosecution said asking them to produce evidence on the actual killing of the victim would be absurd, if not impossible.

They said the only persons last seen with the victim were Santos and her British partner Ian Charles Griffiths.

Last April 16, Santos stepped out of jail after 18 months imprisonment.

Judge Veloso decided to grant the motion for bail filed by Santos since the evidence presented by the prosecution is weak.

While there is one witness who saw Santos invite six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique into her car, Veloso said no evidence was presented to show what happened to the victim after she boarded the vehicle.

Veloso said the crucial moments between the time the child was taken and the time her body was found remain a mystery.

She said no motive for Ellah Joy’s abduction and death was also established.

Santos and her British partner Griffiths face charges of kidnapping with homicide in court in relation to the death of six-year-old Pique on Feb. 8, 2011.

While the offense is non-bailable, the Constitution allows the accused to secure temporary liberty when the evidence of guilt against the accused is not strong. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol