Defense to tap police chief

Defense lawyers said they plan to ask the court to subpoena Senior Supt. Erson Digal, the former Cebu provincial police chief, as a witness in the Ellah Joy Pique kidnap-slay case.

Lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo told reporters he would like to ask the court to require Digal, who handled the first police investigation in the Feb. 8 kidnapping, to testify about what he knows.

Villagonzalo said the police chief’s testimony will help them prove the innocence of his clients Bella Ruby Santos and British national Ian Charles Griffiths, who are both at large. Both are facing charges of kidnapping with homicide in relation to the death of Ellah Joy.

Aside from Digal, Villagonzalo said they may also request Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, to take the witness stand.

“Their testimony will fortify our defense,” Villagonzalo said.

The defense lawyer reiterated that Santos and Griffiths were falsely accused of the crime.

Digal’s earlier investigation identified Cebuana nurse Karen Esdrelon and her Norwegian partner Sven Erik Berger as the culprits but the prosecutors later dismissed the charges for insufficient evidence. The couple proved their alibis.

That bungled investigation contributed to the relief of Digal as CPPO chief.

Comendador replaced Digal and spearheaded another investigation, which tagged Santos and Griffiths as suspects.