The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was still pursuing a lead that would lead it to the mastermind in the kidnapping of high-profile inmate Rolito Go from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa in August, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
De Lima made the disclosure in an interview at the sidelines of the 76th anniversary of the NBI yesterday where she was the guest of honor.
“We are following up a lead on the mastermind [from whom] the leader of the group, Emilio Ortiz, was supposedly getting his instructions,” she said.
Head agent Dave Segunial of the NBI Counter Intelligence Division said they have made an artist sketch of the suspected mastermind based on the description provided by one of the arrested suspects, Armando Mondero.
“We are still in the process of validating the information [given by] Mondero and [fellow suspect] Jerry Duenas,” Segunial said.
De Lima also confirmed that Duenas, who surrendered to the NBI, is being considered as a state witness. Ten people have been charged with kidnapping Go and his nephew in the Department of Justice. They are Emilio Ortiz, Lawrence Yurong, Fernando Francisco, Mondero, Duenas; a certain Reggie, Kumander Rico, a minimum security prison trustee at NBP, Go’s cook who was not identified and PO2 Emerson “Bong” Guanzon, a member of the Presidential Police National Security Force Unit at Malacañang.