INVESTIGATORS have identified at least one person of interest in the gruesome killing of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan based on text messages found in a mobile phone that the victim had used.
The phone, owned by a relative of the victim, contained an exchange of text messages between Silawan and another person. The phone has been recovered by the special investigation task group (SITG) that is looking into the Silawan case, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Colonel Bernard Banac said on Friday, March 15.
“Diumano may na-recover na cellphone sa kamag-anak ng victim at ito’y kanilang (SITG) napag-aralan at may mga conversation na natagpuan sa cellphone at ito ang dahilan kaya nagkaroon ng leads, persons of interest, at suspect base sa mga impormasyon na nakalap,” Banac said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
“Doon sa cellphone na nakuha sa kamag-anak nung biktima sa patuloy na imbestigasyon na isinasagawa, may mga nakuhang impormasyon na may kausap itong biktima noong araw na iyon bago maganap ‘yung pangyayari ng pagpaslang. Posibleng nakigamit at noong ito ay naibalik na sa tunay na may-ari, nanatili doon ‘yung conversation. Well, ‘yung mga kausap o ‘yung kausap ay isa na ‘yun sa tinitignan na persons of interest. Dahil may conversation, baka kakilala ng biktima (ang suspect),” he added.
He said the motive in the killing, according to the SITG, is still being identified, although investigators are looking at the possibility that aside from being under the influence of illegal drugs, the killer is also a psychological maniac.
Banac said based on the autopsy examination, there was no indication that the victim was raped.
Banac, however, refused to provide additional details on the messages. (SunStar Philippines)