Breaking News: Bella Santos To Be Released On Bail

[Markham]

This morning, Judge Ester Veloso granted the Defence's Bail Application and set unconditional Bail at Php500,000 (~ £7,800/$12,100). Bella is likely to be released from Naga Jail, where she has been held since October 2011, some time on Monday or Tuesday of next week as the Bond has yet to be deposited and the formalities for her release completed.

The Prosecution has responded by filing a Motion to Reconsider but as the Judge has taken almost two months to consider her verdict, the State's Motion is viewed as an attempt to delay the inevitable.

The Defence Team did not anticipate a decision one way or the other until on or after the 29th April when the Prosecution's final witness is scheduled to be heard and their case rested. Needless to say, everyone involved is highly delighted with this news and the Defence Team will be filing a Motion for Dismissal (of all charges) at the 29th April hearing.

Bella and her British partner, Ian Griffiths, have been jointly charged with the abduction and murder of a young school girl in Minglanila Town, just south of Talisay City, Cebu. Bail is rarely granted for Capital offences and only if the Judge determines that the prosecution case is very weak. Ian Griffiths is currently living and working in the UK and remains the subject of an Interpol "Red Notice". Griffiths and Santos are the second couple to be charged with these offences.

[Old55]

Thanks for the update Markham.

Too bad justice has escaped the brutal murder of that poor little girl. I guess we will never know who the killer was.

[Mike S]

:thumbs-up-smile: :AddEmoticons04230: :AddEmoticons04230: :AddEmoticons04230: :AddEmoticons04230:  ........ not because the little girl died ... that is a real tragedy and I second Olds55's statement above about never knowing ..... but that person knows and has to live with the fact that he/she took the little girls life ..... maybe not now but some day ... possibly when he/she is old and gray it will come back to haunt them ....... the thumbs up and claps are for the judge  :tiphat:  who had the guts to stand up to the bumbling key-stone cops and prosecutors who just want someone ..... ANYONE ...... to get the blame for this crime  :th_unfair:  ..... no sense in hoping their conscious will bother them because it sure appears like they don't have any ...... IMHO .....  :cheersty:

[Americano]

When the case is dismissed I hope Ms. Santos can sue for wrongful prosecution and imprisonment. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions.

[MikeB]

When the case is dismissed I hope Ms. Santos can sue for wrongful prosecution and imprisonment. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions.

One can hope but I think it would be a futile gesture. The 1st couple filed a $60 million dollar lawsuit against the Philippine government with the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in early 2012. I couldn't find anything more recent on that. If you're a foreigner living in the Philippines, if these cases don't give you the heebie jeebies nothing will.

[Jollygoodfellow]

This morning, Judge Ester Veloso granted the Defence's Bail Application and set unconditional Bail at Php500,000

 

What exactly does unconditional bail mean? will she be able to leave the country? Harass witnesses?

[Mike S]

I couldn't find anything more recent on that.

 

And you probably won't either Mike ... at least anything coming out of the Phils ..... the guy from England should sue them for more as he lost his good paying job and a lot of other stuff also  ...... but like everything else here that involves foreigners ..... if it's bad it will be printed for weeks at a time .... good things .... forget it ... not news worthy ....... when the US war ship was aground on the reef you heard about it for hours each night on the news and for weeks on end ..... but the Chinese fish boat goes aground and after a few days you hear nothing ..... I wonder why ......

 

The only info about lawsuits against the Phil will be in the respective country where they were filled definitely not here ...... IMHO ...... :cheersty:

[Markham]

Thanks for the update Markham.

Too bad justice has escaped the brutal murder of that poor little girl. I guess we will never know who the killer was.

 

I wouldn't bet the farm on that ;)

 

 

When the case is dismissed I hope Ms. Santos can sue for wrongful prosecution and imprisonment. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions.

 

Except that doesn't apply here for face-saving reasons. But remember, there are elections looming and the former Governor, who invested much political capital in this case, is standing for Congress and her brother is a gubernatorial candidate. I will say no more, you can join the dots!

 

 

This morning, Judge Ester Veloso granted the Defence's Bail Application and set unconditional Bail at Php500,000

 

What exactly does unconditional bail mean? will she be able to leave the country? Harass witnesses?

 

When granting Bail, Judges can impose certain conditions such as requiring the Bailee to report to a Police Station at regular intervals, be confined to a particular address or surrender their Passport - in addition to a bond being deposited with the Court. In Bella's case none of those (or other) conditions apply and she is free to travel throughout the country but not internationally as there is a "hold departure" order in force that was obtained before she went on her jaunt to Manila. In common with all Bailees she has to attend each and every hearing though.

 

I'm a little bemused by the question I've highlighted above. Why would she do that? She has no need but even if she were so minded (which she is emphatically not), it wouldn't do her any good because all (bar one) of the prosecution's witnesses have already given their testimony in Court. The remaining witness is from the Soco/Crime Lab and his testimony will be technical in nature and unlikely to be controversial and once he has been heard, the prosecution will rest its case.

[Jollygoodfellow]

I'm a little bemused by the question I've highlighted above. Why would she do that? She has no need but even if she were so minded (which she is emphatically not), it wouldn't do her any good because all (bar one) of the prosecution's witnesses have already given their testimony in Court. The remaining witness is from the Soco/Crime Lab and his testimony will be technical in nature and unlikely to be controversial and once he has been heard, the prosecution will rest its case.

 

I was just trying to illustrate what unconditional could mean. Mostly or I should say other countries usually have conditions such as not to contact witnesses etc so it seems strange that there are no conditions.

[Bruce]

Is there any information as to the present situation of the police chief (or similar title) who was fired for the poor investigation and or any others who have already lost their jobs due to this case?

 

I am asking to see if the loss of the job was just for show and that person is now re employed or transfered to a similar job, but the public was led to believe they were fired. It is not unusual to see multiple police officers and higher level management 'fired ' or relieved in articles in the press. I was wondering is these guys end up as mall cops or really just moved out of sight for a while.