De Lima: NBI, PNP probes on Go disappearance jive

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima believes the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) jived that convicted killer Rolito Go was kidnapped from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa.

“The findings so far of PNP and NBI are that there really was an abduction,” she said.

Speaking to reporters at NBI headquarters in Manila, De Lima said they have yet to check the motive for the kidnapping and identify the suspects.

“We still have to find out who were behind it, the motives and mastermind,” she said.

“We can’t be sharing the details with you so far because investigations might be jeopardized.”

De Lima said she has not received a copy of the report about the results of the lie detector test on Go.

“I don’t know the results yet, but since it was confirmed that it was a case of abduction then it looks like he passed,” she said.

A source at the NBI, who requested anonymity, said Go had passed the polygraph test, making the findings stronger that he was kidnapped.

De Lima said they are still trying to verify information from Fr. Robert Olaguer, parish priest of the Ina Ng Awa Parish Church inside the NBP, that Go was inside the church during the date he was supposed to have been kidnapped.

Pagcor denies Go was in casino

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) denied yesterday reports that Go was in Casino Filipino in Mabalacat, Pampanga on Aug. 12, the day he claimed he was kidnapped.

In a statement, Pagcor said the general manager of Casino Filipino Angeles, in coordination with Pagcor’s security chief, verified with its officials and employees if indeed Go was in the casino on that date.

“They were presented a recent photo of Mr. Go,” read the statement.

“No one from the casino saw him on that day nor on any other occasion. We also checked our Angeles casino’s CCTV files but the existing surveillance cameras in our branches can only store or retain CCTV footage for a short period of time.

“We wish to emphasize that Pagcor does not tolerate the entry of restricted personalities such as known fugitives from justice to our casinos.”

 Jail guard probed

In Tuguegarao City, provincial jail warden Lito Marquez has placed under investigation a jail guard alluded to in the extrajudicial confession of captured NBP escapee Rommel Laciste as having “orchestrated” his escape from the provincial jail in 2010 to kill human rights lawyer Ernesto Salun-at.

In his confession, Laciste said guard Judy Celestino set him free to kill Salun-at in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.

Marquez said he only assumed as warden in August 2010 following the turnover of the provincial administration in July of the same year.

Laciste bolted the NBP last Aug. 15 and was recaptured 11 days later. He claimed he was set free to do a “killing job.”

A relative of Laciste corroborated information fed to The STAR that the “escape” was unknown to the public and the media up to his supposed “capture” at the house of an uncle in Barangay Tagaran in Cauayan City in 2010.

Laciste was immediately moved to the national penitentiary to serve the sentence that Judge Bonifacio Ong had imposed on him for the 2006 killing of Concepcion Lumanglas, his probation officer. – Sandy Araneta, Helen Flores, Raymund Catindig