Duterte: Ashley carried party drug

CEBU CITY – The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will continue its investigation into the death of Ashley Abad despite President Duterte’s pronouncement that the party drug that the teenager took before she died came from her.

Senior Supt. Royina Garma, chief of CCPO, said the President’s statement will not affect the course of the investigation.

“The President has his own sources. We will file a case based on the evidence we gathered,” said Garma.

The 19-year-old Abad died last Jan. 20, a day after she collapsed in a concert at the Cebu Business Park.

According to the PNP Crime Laboratory, examination showed that Abad died of ecstasy overdose.

The police then launched an investigation to find out who gave Abad the party drug.

Among those who were invited for police questioning were Abad’s boyfriend Nel Spencer Tiu and their friends who were with them during the concert.

It was only last Feb. 14 that Tiu appeared at the CCPO and denied that he was the one who gave the party drug to his girlfriend.

Abad’s parents likewise met with the President last Feb. 7.

It was during the meeting with Abad’s parents that the President called up Garma and ordered Tiu’s immediate arrest.

But in a surprising twist last Feb. 20, Duterte revealed during his speech at the Rizal Hall of the Malacanang Palace that the ecstasy came from the teenager herself.

“Nag-reklamo sila (Abad’s parents), they want justice. Pero nakita nila, na-recover ng forensics examination pati ‘yung... She was the one who was actually texting another girl na maghati sila doon kasi ‘yung isa, reserba niya para sa kanyang boyfriend, ‘yung missing until now,” Duterte said.

“And to make a long shot guess na galing sa boyfriend, eh siya ‘yung may hawak eh. Siya nga nagsabi doon sa text, para ito sa boyfriend niya. So hindi ma-ano sa nanay pati tatay na,” the President added.

The President admitted as a father, that he was saddened with what happened to Abad.

“I wanted to cry with them, not because na sentimental ako by the profound sorrow ng... May anak rin ako eh. Iyan ang problema,” the President said.