(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, March 26, revealed he ordered the re-arrest of the suspect in the killing of Christine Silawan.
Duterte said he gave the order after the prosecutor ordered Silawan’s 17-year-old former boyfriend released after the National Bureau of Investigation failed to justify he was covered by warrantless arrest.
Under the Rules of Court, a warrantless arrest is valid under three circumstances: When, in the presence of the policeman, the person to be arrested has committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit an offense or the in flagrante delicto rule; when an offense has just been committed, and the policeman has probable cause to believe, based on personal knowledge of facts or circumstances, that the person to be arrested has committed it, or the hot pursuit rule; and when the person to be arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment.
“Di ako papayag na ganunin mo lang ang tao. Patayin mo ang bata, balatan mo tapos magsibat ka lang, mahuli ka after six days tapos ma-release ka kasi hindi hot pursuit,” Duterte said.
According to Duterte, “for as long as there is somebody who conducted the investigation and made a follow up everyday that is still hot pursuit to me.”
“Imposible mo ‘yang sabihin mo na hot pursuit 24 hours lang ngayon,” he added.
Silawan’s body was found in a vacant lot in Lapu-Lapu on March 11.
The 16-year-old had been stabbed multiple times, and her face skinned, exposing her skull.
The police said her trachea, esophagus and other organs were also missing.
She was laid to rest on March 23.
