Pique family marks 3rd year of Ellah Joy’s slay

It’s been exactly three years ago yesterday that six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique of Minglanilla town, Cebu was killed at the hands of her kidnappers.

The Pique family held a novena yesterday and would continue until Feb. 16 to pray for the eternal repose of the slain girl’s soul.

Ellah Joy was kidnapped outside the Calajo-an Elementary School in Minglanilla town on Feb. 8, 2011.

The following day, her body was found off a ravine in Barili town, south Cebu.

“Any person, in my situation, will absolutely feel the pain by just looking back at the incident,” said Ellah Joy’s father Renante in an interview yesterday.

The legal battle against the two suspects in her daughter’s kidnapping and death continues to drag on.

In her April hearing last year, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 allowed Bella Ruby Santos to post bail since the evidence presented against her is “weak.”

Santos secured temporary liberty while the case is being resolved by the court.

She and her British partner Ian Charles Griffiths face charges of kidnapping with homicide in court in relation to the gruesome death of Ellah Joy Pique.

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.

Griffiths, a 51-year-old accountant, on the other hand, is believed to be in the United Kingdom and is on the “red alert list” of the Interpol as a fugitive wanted for prosecution in the Philippines.

Renante said he entrusted the case to the judge handling the case.

“We already presented our evidence. It’s up to the judge whether to convict the accused or not. I hope the truth won’t be concealed. I’m sure justice will be served in heaven),” he said.