Bella Trial Set This Month

[Mr Lee]

:dance: HOMICIDE suspect Bella Ruby Santos will have to face trial this month.The court affirmed last Thursday its denial of the request of Bella’s lawyers to determine whether there is probable cause against her. Her trial reportedly starts on Nov. 15. In her ruling, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 also denied Bella’s petition to recall the arrest warrant issued against her. “With the arraignment of the accused, she has effectively abandoned her right to question the court's finding of probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against her,” Veloso said.

[Garpo]

Her attorney can't complain about not getting a speedy trial.

[Travis]

amazing anything is going to happen fast in dah pines

[Mr Lee]

No need for live-link TV in Ellah Joy case: defense Wednesday, November 9, 2011PLACING the prosecution witnesses away from the courtroom during the full-blown trial in the Ellah Joy Pique criminal case is “unnecessary,” the defense panel said.“It (live-link TV) only manifests that the state is afraid to show the real identity of the witnesses because they are perjured, coached and false witnesses,” the defense said in its pleading. Government prosecutors earlier asked the court to allow the use of live-link television when minor witnesses take the witness stand, to prevent them from experiencing trauma and fear.In their pleading, Prosecutors Petronio Elesterio, Annabelle Robles and Jerome Abarca said allowing minor witnesses, aged nine and 12, to testify off the courtroom will spare them from a “hostile court environment.”

[Markham]

SunStar struggling to keep up with the news again, I see, that was a story five days ago! :D

[Markham]

The latest information in from Cebu is that the Prosecution's motion to allow the child witnesses to give evidence over a video-link has been denied by Judge Veloso; they must give evidence and be questioned in open court. Just to add to their woes, all the Prosecution witnesses are required to appear in Court on November 15 according to a ruling made yesterday. Its quite common for trials to be stalled due to the failure of prosecution witnesses to turn up at court as in the case of Kevin Taylor and his wife both of whom have been held in San Mateo Jail for nearly 3 years awaiting trial. Their trial has never started because the chief prosecution witness and complainant has failed to appear each time a hearing is scheduled and it is thought she may be abroad.

[Mr Lee]

Kid witness identifies Bella Ruby Sun Star Wednesday, November 16, 2011CEBU CITY -- A 12-year-old prosecution witness identified Tuesday Bella Ruby Santos as the companion of a male foreigner who snatched six-year-old grader Ellah Joy Pique outside her school in Barangay Calajoan, Minglanilla, Cebu, on February 8. The state prosecutors and defense lawyers confirmed this in separate interviews with reporters after the close to two-hour hearing on the motion filed by the defense seeking to allow Santos to post bail. The court set the continuation of the hearing on November 22, with the defense’s chance to cross-examine the witness. ‘IT WAS BELLA’ a 12 year old girl said 11/16/2011 Cebu Daily News A 12-year-old girl, whose name will not appear in media reports, yesterday pointed to Bella Ruby Santos in a closed-door hearing with a judge in Cebu City.She pointed twice to the woman in a yellow prison T-shirt as the one who ushered her friend, 6-year-old Ellah Joy Pique, into a vehicle along a road in Minglanilla town nine months ago before the schoolgirl disappeared. The defense is set to cross-examine the first child witness on Nov. 22. Witness positively IDs Bella in homicide case PhilStar Court rules prohibit the examination of a minor in open court to avoid any possible trauma this may bring.But defense lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo said the identification of the witness was favorable to them.

[Markham]

I have to tell you that both the Prosecution and Defence lawyers were specifically instructed not to give any statements or comments to the Press by the Judge. However it appears from the Cebu Daily News and from TV footage I have seen that Mr Renante Pique not only disobeyed the Judge's order but also completely misunderstood - and misreported - yesterday morning's events as did one of the Prosecutors. I am bound by the Judge's order so can not and will not reveal any details but I can tell you that Bella Santos was definitely not identified by the child witness. I received a copy of the report of the two hour hearing at 12.20pm yesterday from the lead Defence Counsel and know exactly what transpired. I will not comment further whilst this case is sub-judice. Incidentally the Philippine Star link is currently non-operative within the Philippines but can be accessed from either the US or UK. Mark

Edited November 15, 2011 by Markham

[Markham]

Here are the TV News reports from yesterday's hearing. http://youtu.be/kZsA2NvHy0U http://youtu.be/he2i40lUe08 Mark

[Garpo]

If this 12 year old is also one of the witnesses that wrongfully identified the first couple that was arrested and released, it would seem to me that she would be a better witness for the defense than the prosecutor. With the gag order from the Judge and no media allowed in the courtroom then it basically is impossible to know what she did or did not say. Both sides are going to say that it went well for them. That is just lawyer talk and is no more reliable than the media that is reporting it. I was hoping to hear some actual quotes of what the witness said in response to questions.