Authorities to ask Lapu prosecutor to reverse ruling on release of Silawan murder suspect
Presidential Assistant to the Visayas (PAV) Secretary Michael Dino said authorities are due to file their motion for reconsideration (MR) any time. CDN Digital photo | Rosalie Abatayo
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu— The Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) will ask the Lapu-Lapu Prosecutor’s office to reverse its earlier ruling that led to the release of the Christine Lee Silawan murder suspect last Saturday, March 23, 2019.
The 17-year-old suspect in the Silawan slay was released after the handling prosecutor ruled that the arrest made by the NBI-7 operatives last March 16, 2019 does not fall within the bounds of hot pursuit.
Read more: Suspect in the Christine Silawan murder released
Presidential Assistant to the Visayas (PAV) Secretary Michael Dino, who was commenting based on reports presented to him by the law enforcement agencies involved in the case, said the authorities are due to file their motion for reconsideration (MR) any time.
“The NBI-7 will file [a motion] for reconsideration sa fiscal’s office and let’s see what happens,” Dino said in an interview at the sidelines of the Presidential Anti-corruption Commission dialogue with regional directors held in Mandaue City on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Though he declined to issue a statement to the media, Chief Inspector Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), told Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) chairman Dante Jimenez that they were still completing some “requirements” relative to the Silawan case.
Read more: Release of Silawan slay suspect has no bearing on the murder rap lodged against him, says Isles
“The president has instruction to us to meet the prosecutor of the Silawan case and to discuss further… Isa na lang po ang iko-comply namin as per the president’s instructions,” Sinas said as he excused himself in the PACC meeting. (We will have to comply with just one more.)
Haste makes waste
Jimenez, in a separate interview, said it is important that the PNP and the NBI collaborate in order to maximize the progress of the case.
“May mga temporary setbacks kasi naapura. Kaya sinabihan ko ang NBI na huwag kayo mag-aapura. Haste makes waste. Hindi pwede magkakompetensya kayo (NBI and PNP). Kahit may parallel investigation kayo, you have to unite in the end,” Jimenez said.
Read more: PACC’s Dante Jimenez disappointed with the ‘hasty’ Silawan murder investigation
(There were temporary setbacks because it was done in haste. That’s why I told the NBI not to be in a hurry. Haste makes waste. The NBI and PNP shouldn’t compete against each other. Even if there is a parallel investigation, you have to unite in the end.)
Jimenez added that he is confident the “mistakes” that led to the release of the suspect shall be corrected.
“Hindi naman na-dismiss yung kaso, narelease lang yung suspect. Yan ang message sa NBI na ayusin naman ninyo,” said Jimenez.
(The case wasn’t dismissed, the suspect was just released. That’s the message to the NBI, to do things better.) /bmjo
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