NBI insists Ivler still in RP

MANILA, Philippines - Road rage murder suspect Jason Ivler is still in the Philippines, contrary to his mother’s claim that he is now in Hawaii, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.

NBI-Special Action Unit (SAU) chief Angelito Magno, whose division handles Ivler’s murder case, said based on their information gathered from the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Ivler has not left the country.

“We have no information (that Ivler is in Hawaii),” Magno said. “There is no confirmation yet on that information (that Ivler left). There is no report,” he said.

When asked if Ivler is still in the country, Magno said, “We believe so.”

In an earlier report, Marlene Aguilar Pollard claimed she received an e-mail message from her son, claiming he had gone to Hawaii.

Pollard said the e-mail did not state when and how Ivler managed to slip out of the Philippines.

Aguilar said apart from the e-mail she received from her son, she never had any contact or phone conversation with him since he was implicated in the killing of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. during a traffic altercation last Nov. 18.

Ebarle is the son of Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., of the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff in Malacañang. Magno confirmed that a warrant of arrest has been issued against Ivler for Ebarle’s murder. With the new warrant, Ivler cannot post bail if he is arrested.

Judge Vicencio Baclig of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76 issued the new arrest warrant, dated Dec. 22.

Magno said they have not served the new warrant, but added that, “anytime, we could.”

The NBI earlier said they plan to use the services of the Interpol as a precautionary measure just in case Ivler has left the country.