Lawyer Isles: We will file motion to dismiss murder case against 18-year-old suspect

Lawyer Vincent Isles, legal counsel of the 18-year-old suspect in the killing of Christine Lee Silawan. | File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The camp of the 18-year-old suspect of the killing of Christine Lee Silawan plans to file a motion to dismiss on the murder case that he was facing on the grounds of the admission of the new suspect, Renato Llenes, 43, on the crime.

Llenes was arrested by the police on April 9 at Barangay Bankal, after he was caught for possession of firearms. The new suspect admitted  to the crime and even reenacted how he killed the victim.

“Yes ang admission aning bag-o nga suspect kay diametrically opposite man gyud sila. Kay niingon man gyud siya nga siya rang usa ang nagpatay, and, in fact, usa na sa rason sa dihang gipangutana siya nganong miangkon siya sa pagpatay, usa sa rason niya kay mao na nakonsensiya siya sa pagpatay mismo ug kay dunay inosente nga naangin nga maoy napasinganlan,” Lawyer Vincent Isles said, legal counsel of the 18-year-old suspect.

Read more: Albayalde on Silawan case one month after victim was found dead: Solved but not yet closed

(Yes, the admission of this new suspect is diametrically opposite to the other suspect because he said that he was the only person who killed the victim. In fact, one of the reasons that he admitted to the killing was because his conscience has bothered him — for the killing and that there was another innocent person who was wrongly accused of the crime.)

Silawan’s lifeless body was found on a vacant lot in barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City with no underwear while her face was skinned.

On March 16, Isles’ client was arrested by the operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7, after he was linked to the rape-slay of Silawan, which was based on the CCTV footage that NBI-7 had recovered.

NBI-7 has also presented a witness, who identified the suspect based on the CCTV footage.

“Kay wala man gyuy eyewitness ang NBI nga nakakita nga ang kadtong kuyog adtong sa CCTV, ang ako gyud tong kliyente. Duna silay witness nga nakakita sa CCTV ug niingon nga mao na ang akong kliyente, ang katong kuyog sa bata,” he added.

(The NBI has no eyewitness, who could really identify my client as the person who was shown at the CCTV accompanying the victim. They have a witness, who saw the CCTV footage and who said that that person accompanying the victim was my client.) 

Read more: NBI: Facebook chats, CCTV footage prove 17-year-old to be prime suspect in Silawan’s slay

Isles said that they had at least three impartial eyewitnesses who testified that his client was at the gym and at their house from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. or during the time that the crime was committed.

Isles is hoping that the arrest of Llenes would shed light on what really happened to Silawan so that justice would be served, not only to Silawan, as well as to his client.

“I really hope ug kung siya man gyud gali, kay murag siya man gyud kay duna man siyay mga detalye nga murag klaro gyud nga siya. Iya nang angkunon sa korte, dili nalang pangitaan ug paagi nga madugay pa ang kaso aron matagaan siya ug mitigating circumstances unya mas ubos ang iyang silot kaysa kung unsa man gyud unta,” he added.

( I really hope that if new suspect would turn out to really be the killer of the victim.  It would most likely be him because he has details about how he committed the crime. Then if he would admit the crime in court then, they should not look for a reason to delay the case, and then he would be given mitigating circumstances which can lower his penalty whatever that may be.)

Read more: Suspect Llenes recounts how he killed 16-year-old Christine Silawan

As of the moment, Isles said that they were still waiting for a written document before they would make their next move.

Aside from this, Isles said that they were also waiting for a copy of the DNA testing conducted by NBI Manila in order to counter such finding.

The DNA testing result stated that the blood stain that was found in the suspect’s shoes was owned by Silawan.

Read more: Teen suspect in Christine Lee Silawan slay back in home care

Currently, Isles’ client is under a protective custody on a Home Care Center which is managed by the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) in Lapu-Lapu City./dbs