Nicole’s neighbor released; probe further, cops told

One of the suspects in the death of 7-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella in Caloocan City has been released from detention by the police.

Supt. Jackie Candelario, city police spokesman, told the Inquirer that Grene Da walked out of jail at 4 p.m. on Monday after Assistant City Prosecutor Darwin Cañete ordered the charges against him further investigated.

Da was charged with illegal possession of ammunition on Saturday after the police found ammunition for a .45-cal. pistol in his house last week. The bullet that hit Ella was of the same caliber although no gun was seized from Da.

The young girl was watching a fireworks display outside her house in Caloocan City on New Year’s Eve when a stray bullet hit her in the head. She died in the hospital on Jan. 2 after she suffered eight cardiac arrests.

Reached for comment, Cañete said that Da’s case did not fall under inquest proceedings and that a preliminary investigation to determine whether there was enough basis for the case against him had to be conducted first.—Kristine Felisse Mangunay