Cops find new suspects in abduction, slay of girl

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Police are building a case against a new set of suspects in the Feb. 9 abduction and killing of 6-year-old Ellah Joy Pique after two earlier suspects were freed as a result of a bungled investigation by policemen.

Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, spokesperson of Task Force Ellah Joy and chief of the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division of the regional police, said the new suspects were a Caucasian-looking man and a Filipina.

Comendador confirmed on Tuesday that police have the names of the two and even a photo of the Caucasian man, but that it was premature to make these public.

Police had seized a navy blue Mitsubishi Pajero parked in front of a house in Inayagan, Naga City. The vehicle was believed to be the one used in the abduction of the girl who was on her way home from school in Barangay Calajoan, Minglanilla, after her class.

Cebu RTC Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes issued a warrant that allowed police to seize the Pajero.

<Strong>Tampered license plate </strong>

It had a license plate LHJ-382 but the letter H, said Comendador, appeared to be tampered with from the original letter M. The vehicle was traced based on accounts given by witnesses who saw it before and during Ellah Joy’s abduction. Other witnesses saw the vehicle near where Ellah Joy’s body was dumped in Barili town.

Comendador said police also found substance that could be bloodstains inside the Pajero and took these to the PNP Crime Laboratory in Manila for tests.

Police also seized a computer, flash drive and video camera inside the house near where the Pajero was found.

Comendador refused to reveal the identity of the owner of the house and Pajero. Police have started exercising caution on giving out pieces of information on the case after being embarrassed when the Cebu provincial prosecutor’s office dismissed charges against the first set of suspects in the case, a Norwegian national and his Filipina girlfriend.

He said police were checking with the Land Transportation Office for the real owner of the Pajero although they have photocopied its certificate of registration.