Another suspect in Silawan slay falls in Lapu-Lapu

By Calvin Cordova TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – Police said Wednesday they have arrested a 42-year-old man who has admitted to killing 16-year-old Christine Silawan in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, last March 11. Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, Cen­tral Visayas police chief, told a press briefing at the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) that the suspect “ex­ecuted an extra-judicial confession and we have recovered pieces of evidence pinpointing him (as the killer)." Sinas declined to name the suspect pending the filing of charges. "Give us time. We are consolidating our data and we will be comparing our notes with the National Bureau of Investigation," he said. Sinas said the police will share notes with the National Bureau of Investiga­tion (NBI), which has arrested a former boyfriend of Silawan as a suspect. The NBI has charged the teenage suspect with murder before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office. The teen was arrested at his home in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu, last March 16. Sinas said the 42-year-old man was planning to leave Bohol to escape when he was arrested in his home in Lapu-Lapu Tuesday morning. He described the suspect as “a street-level drug pusher and a user” who is the police drug watchlist. Aside from security camera footage, the police has testimonial evidence that will pin down the suspect, Sinas said. Sinas said the man was obsessed with Silawan. "He came to know the girl through text and chat messages. He is known for duping teenage girls," he 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. NBI Central Visayas 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 welcomed 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.