The Justice Department has absolved Elena dela Paz of involvement in the Nida Blanca murder.

Dela Paz, who was Blanca's assistant, was implicated in the case after the testimony of pedicab driver Ranny Francisco.

Blanca was found dead with 13 stab wounds inside her car at the Atlanta Center in Greenhills, San Juan last November 7, 2001.

Francisco said he saw Dela Paz leave Atlanta Center with the actress on the night Blanca was found dead.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales dropped Dela Paz from the case saying the testimony of the pedicab driver was doubtful since Francisco only surfaced four years after the crime.

Dela Paz meanwhile cried as she went to the justice department with the daughter of the slain actress, Kaye Torres.

“It’s as if a thorn has been removed… Of course it affected my health but I’m praying to God that the case would be solved,” said Dela Paz in the dialect.

Blanca's daughter meanwhile welcomed the decision of the justice department saying she knew Dela Paz was innocent.

"It was clearly a big mistake, I knew in my heart she was innocent," said Torres.

Torres said she could now focus on the prosecution of the murder case since her attention was shared previously with the defense of Dela Paz.

The trial on the Nida Blanca murder case is ongoing even though one of the suspects, Rod Strunk, has died.

Meanwhile the justice department has removed Francisco from the Witness Protection Program. From a report of Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN News