PNP still believes Rolito Go was kidnapped

Rolito Go. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Despite doubts raised by prison officials, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it was still considering kidnapping as the likely motive behind last week’s disappearance of convicted road rage killer Rolito Go from the state penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said evidence gathered by police investigators supported the claims of Go and his nephew Clemence Yu that they were forcibly taken by four unidentified men from the tightly-guarded New Bilibid Prison (NBP) on the night of August 14.

“We are acting based on the testimonies of Rolito Go and Clemence Yu. We respect their allegations,” Cerbo told reporters.

“As far as the PNP is concerned, all available evidence showed that the incident is a case of abduction.  But if it later showed otherwise, then we will support whatever the findings of the (other law enforcement agencies),” he added.

“The motive that will prevail is the one supported by evidence. The strong theory now is the alleged kidnapping.”

In a news briefing at Camp Crame, Cerbo presented a computer-generated sketch of one of the alleged abductors who supposedly posed as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

As ordered by Malacanang, Cerbo said  investigators of the Antikidnapping Group (AKG) were closely coordinating with the officials of the Department of Justice, the NBP and the NBI who were tasked to conduct a separate probe on Go’s surprise disappearance from the NBP.

“According to Go, this man was the possible leader of the group which seized them. He was holding a .45-caliber pistol which he allegedly used to whip Go,” he said, showing to reporters a copy of the computer-generated sketch.

“We will also show this to Rolito Go for confirmation,” he said.

Citing the information that Go and Yu provided to the PNP Crime Laboratory and the AKG, he said the man was dark-skinned, medium built, around 35 to 38 years old, 5’5” to 5’6” tall and weighs about 85 to 90 kilograms.

Go, who is serving a life sentence for killing student Eldon Maguan during a traffic altercation in 1991, said the man was wearing jeans and red jacket over a white t-shirt at the time of the alleged abduction.

He said police investigators had also taken the sworn statements of the driver and conductor of the bus that Go and Yu reportedly took after their alleged abductors released them on Wednesday night.

Cerbo added that Yu would remain in police custody as AKG operatives were still trying to determine if the men who seized them were also behind the reported abduction of relatives of wealthy inmates of the NBP.