Cops pursuing new lead on Cebu brutal slay

Curious onlookers surround the body of Christine Lee Silawan, who was found with half of her face skinned in an empty lot in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City. (Contributed photo by JAYBOY D. DONAIRE via Cebu Daily News)

CEBU CITY — Christine Lee Silawan — the 16-year-old girl whose brutal murder in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu province, angered President Duterte — knew her assailants, according to the police.

Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, Central Visayas police director, said Silawan was in constant touch with her assailants — the last time being on March 9, the day before she was killed.

“They have communication,” Sinas said.

Police obtained a mobile phone used by the girl, which was sent to the Regional Crime Laboratory for forensic tests.

Sinas said the regional police had no evidence linking the man arrested in Davao City on Friday night to Silawan’s case.

But Jonas Bueno was considered a person of interest in the Silawan case because he had been accused of skinning a 62-year-old farmer and ripping his heart out in Danao City, Cebu, in January, almost like what was done to Silawan.

Sinas said the regional police was pursuing a different lead in Silawan’s case.

“We have a lead and we are going to the lead,” he said.

In a statement, Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, Philippine National Police spokesperson, said the Special Investigation Task Group on the Silawan case remained on track in solving it.

Senior Supt. Limuel Obon, police director in Lapu-Lapu City, said investigators had not made public the identity of suspects because they didn’t want to preempt an ongoing hunt.

“We are still pursuing the perpetrators,” Obon said. —With a report from Dale Israe