With the filing of a murder and cybercrime case against the 17-year-old suspect in the killing of Christine Lee Silawan, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu Province chapter says they will represent the prosecution during the hearing of the case. CDN Digital photo | Tonee Despojo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI – 7) dismissed allegations by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) that there were inconsistencies between the findings of their agency and that of the Philippine National Police (PNP) with regards to the investigation on the murder of Christine Lee Silawan.
“As far as the findings of PNP and the NBI [is concerned], wala namang problema. In-adapt lang namin yung findings ng PNP medico-legal,” said lawyer Tomas Enrile, director of NBI – 7, during a press conference on Friday noon, March 22.
(There is no problem. We are just adapting the findings of the PNP medico-legal.)
Enrile also said the agency remained confident that they gathered sufficient and strong evidence against Silawan’s former boyfriend and schoolmate, who is 17 years old.
READ MORE: NBI – 7 confident of case against 17-year-old suspect in Christine Lee Silawan’s murder
He said they are gathering more information and proof aside from the initial pieces of evidence they presented before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office when they lodged murder complaints against the teen suspect last Monday, March 18.
“Meron kaming physical evidence nakuha pero talaga yung initial evidence submitted are circumstantial. Pero hindi pa rin tapos yan. We’re still waiting for the result from NBI’s cybercrime and chemists as the physical evidence na nasecure natin,” Enrile said.
(We have physical evidence but the initial evidence submitted are circumstantial. But that’s not final yet. We’re still waiting for the result from NBI’s cybercrime and chemists as the physical evidence that we secured.)
READ MORE: NBI: Facebook chats, CCTV footage prove 17-year-old to be prime suspect in Silawan’s slay
“Allowed pa kami ng prosecutors to submit additional evidence. We just don’t rely on the circumstantial at ongoing ang examination… pati sa testimonial evidence, may ongoing follow-up operation tayo so that we can get more witnesses na makadagdag sa ebidensya natin,” he added.
(We’re still allowed by the prosecutors to submit additional evidence. We just don’t rely on the circumstantial, and the examination is ongoing. Even the testimonial evidence, there is an ongoing follow up operation so that we can get more witnesses that we can add to our evidence.)
READ MORE: Christine Lee murder update: Camp of suspect says evidence against them is ‘little and weak’
PAO has stepped in as legal counsel of the Silawan family. They recently criticized NBI-7 for filing murder charges with ‘insufficient evidence’ against the suspect, and that their initial findings apparently do not corroborate those gathered by the PNP.
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The camp of the suspect also described NBI’s evidence as ‘little and weak’, highlighting the absence of any witness who could prove that the 17-year-old was with Silawan hours before the victim was reported missing, and found dead on a vacant lot in Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City last March 11. /bmjo