Actress Pilar Pilapil pays ‘surprise visit’ to CIDG, bent on case vs kidnappers

SERIOUS PURSUIT. Former beauty queen-turned-actress Pilar Pilapil is serious in pursuing a case against Rosel Peñas, her female companion on the night she was stabbed, and two other still unidentified suspects, although an arrest warrant has yet to be issued against them, a police official said. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Former beauty queen-turned-actress Pilar Pilapil is serious in pursuing a case against Rosel Peñas, her female companion on the night she was stabbed, and two other still unidentified suspects, although an arrest warrant has yet to be issued against them, a police official said Wednesday.

After Pilar’s “surprise visit” to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Wednesday morning, CIDG director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said that they were cautious in handling the case as they would need a warrant from the Antipolo fiscal’s office to make any arrests legal.

Calling the actress’ visit to the CIDG office a “surprise meeting,” Pagdilao said, “Pilapil dropped by [this morning]. She was supposed to go to the fiscal’s office to subscribe her statement but [found out that she was] scheduled to do so June 7.” He added that he updated the actress on the case.

Pagdilao admitted that they were facing difficulty with the case because they still had no arrest warrant. He said that a case had been filed but a warrant issued by the fiscal’s office would provide the police with legal basis to arrest Peñas and the two men who hijacked their vehicle on the night of April 14.

Aside from Peñas, Pagdilao said that the two other suspects remained unidentified. “[Our] agents are doing their job [but]… the reglementary period is over. We need a warrant to arrest [Peñas],” Pagdilao explained.

The CIDG was certain that Peñas has not left the country. “There have been no information that would show that she’s out of the country,” said Pagdilao.

“We are making sure that the criminal justice in the country works,” assured the CIDG director.

With a report from Danica Hermogenes