Rolito Go’s bid for clemency denied

The Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) has turned down for lack of merit the petition for executive clemency sought by convicted murderer Rolito Go.

BPP acting chairperson Teresita Domingo said Go showed no remorse and has not even indemnified the family of his victim, Eldon Maguan.

Domingo transmitted the BPP resolution to Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Manuel Gaite, allowing the arguments made by Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio in opposing the petition made by Go.

Villa-Ignacio was among the government prosecutors in the Maguan murder leading to the conviction of Go.

Gaite, for his part, will submit the BPP recommendation to the Office of the President, which will make the final decision whether to grant or refuse the clemency for Go.

Villa-Ignacio said all the parties involved in the prosecution and conviction of Go also opposed the petition, as well as the private complainants and the trial court.

Go was convicted of murder by the Pasig City regional trial court (RTC) for fatally shooting Maguan, a De La Salle University engineering graduate, over a traffic altercation on Wilson street in Greenhills, San Juan on July 2, 1991.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay Maguan’s family of his victim a total of P3,679,407.76 in moral and other damages.

The Pasig RTC, in a rejoinder to the petition made by Go, said the BPP must take into consideration a myriad of factors that led to Go’s conviction.

The court cited the gravity of the offense committed, the fact that he escaped detention before the promulgation of his case and managed to elude authorities for three years.

"The Board, should, likewise, take into consideration whether or not the applicant for executive clemency has been completely rehabilitated during the entire time that he was serving his sentence so as to erase all doubts that he would not be a threat to the society, which he (Go) desires to rejoin," the court said.

The court added that the records "do not show anything that would suggest prisoner Rolito Go has indeed and in fact satisfied the monetary award imposed by the court in favor of the family of his victim."

Villa-Ignacio said the Maguan family also sent their objections to Go’s petition.

"Even the public and the media have reacted negatively to the request of Go," Villa-Ignacio said.

He cited STAR publisher Max Soliven’s comments in his column that President Arroyo must turn down Go’s "sneak appeal."

In his column, Soliven branded Go as a "rascal" who had shown no remorse for the killing of an unarmed victim like Maguan.

Villa-Ignacio said Go never showed remorse for killing Maguan.

In his Dec. 2, 2005 letter of appeal, Villa-Ignacio said Go even "callously and arrogantly" brushed aside the murder by declaring "there is nothing more that he can do to make up for that crime especially to the family of Eldon Maguan."

"This statement of prisoner Go is totally untrue and very difficult to believe. Prisoner Go could have done so many things to manifest and show a sincere feeling of regret for taking the life of a young and promising man," Villa-Ignacio said.

"But sad to say, prisoner Go did nothing then and now. And given his personality and character, the victim’s family cannot expect any in the future," he said.

Villa-Ignacio said Go should have settled his civil liability with the Maguans but did not show any effort.

"Prisoner Go has not offered any reason or excuse why despite his known resources and coming from a well-off family he had refused and continues to refuse to comply with the judgment rendered," Villa-Ignacio said.

He said Go made the fatal mistake in his petition that would effectively bar a favorable recommendation from the BPP.

Villa-Ignacio stressed Go would remain a menace to the society if freed.

Go’s criminal record in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also showed his "arrogant disregard" of law and order as he committed offenses ranging from a simple traffic violation to reckless driving to murder, he said.

"It was easy for him to adapt and use aliases," Villa-Ignacio said in explaining why Go managed to remain a fugitive for three years before he was recaptured to serve his sentence.