TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – A 42-year-old man, who is on the drug watch list of the local police, has admitted to the gruesome murder of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan last month.
Police arrested the suspect Tuesday morning in his house in Lapu-Lapu City. He was allegedly on his way to Bohol before police came.
“He (suspect) executed an extra-judicial confession and we have recovered pieces of evidence pinpointing him (as the killer),” said Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, director of the Philippine National Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas).
Sinas, who conducted a press briefing yesterday at the Bohol Provincial Police Office, did not reveal the suspect’s name pending the formal filing of charges.
“Give us time. We are consolidating our data and we will be comparing our notes with the National Bureau of Investigation,” said Sinas.
Sinas provided little details about the suspect except about his drug links. “He is a street-level drug pusher and a user. He is in the drug watch list of the city police,” said Sinas.
Aside from security camera footages, the police have gathered testimonial evidence that will pin down the suspect, Sinas said.
Sinas said too much obsession drove the man to kill Silawan. “He was so obsessed with the girl. He came to know the girl through text and chat messages. He is known for duping teenage girls,” Sinas said.
Police will initially file a case for illegal possession of a firearm after a .45 caliber pistol was recovered from the suspect during the arrest.
It is uncertain if the latest arrest would affect a separate murder charge filed by the NBI before the Lapu-Lapu City prosecutor’s office against the victim’s former teenage boyfriend.
The teen suspect, who was nabbed last March 16 in his home in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, is currently in the custody of a home-care facility of Lapu-Lapu social and welfare development office.
Meanwhile, NBI Region 7 Director Tomas Enrile said the case that they filed against Silawan’s former boyfriend will go on despite the arrest of another suspect.
“The arrest of another suspect will not affect our case. We have presented our evidence and we will leave it up to the court,” said Enrile.
Enrile said they welcome the arrest of another suspect. “We have been coordinating with the police. We have been sharing notes with them so this is a positive development,” Enrile said.
The half-naked body of Silawan was found riddled with stab wounds and some internal organs missing in a vacant lot in Lapu-Lapu City last March 11.
Police maintained that she was not raped. (Calvin Cordova)
