Probers face blank wall in De Lima aide's slay

MANILA, Philippines - Investigators were still clueless as to the motive in last week’s killing of Alister Quintos, a close-in security aide of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

“They don’t have an initial theory yet. There are several theories but they cannot yet rule out any of those theories. At this stage of the investigation, we cannot rule out anything,” De Lima said, quoting officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) whom she met during a closed-door meeting yesterday.

De Lima said investigators are looking into both work-related and personal angles, including a possible land dispute.

She said she directed the NBI to finish the investigation “as soon as possible.”

“This is just unacceptable. Ali served as my close-in security for almost two years. He protected me and that’s what will happen to him. I will not let this pass,” she said.

“He didn’t deserve to die like that. I cannot accept that. He was only 32 years old and single... he was a nice guy,” she added.

NBI deputy director for technical services Reynaldo Esmeralda has confirmed that the 32-year-old victim was  killed by a bullet that pierced his chest, hit the upper and lower lobes of his left and right lung as well as the left ventricle of the heart before exiting through his back.

It was also found that Quintos had several cuts and wounds in different parts of the body, including “bizarre” bite marks on the right cheek and left arm.

Quintos was found dead in Barrio Garlang in San Ildefonso, Bulacan last Friday.