Rolito Go back to prison, Chief and guards sacked

Rolito Go claimed that he and his nephew were kidnapped for a ransom of Php 1 million. No ransom was paid. Here is the news about Rolito Go's disappearance from the Bilibid Prison, 

Convicted murderer Rolito Go is back in the stockade, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief has gone on leave and five jail guards have been sacked as President Benigno Aquino ordered a probe into how a high-profile inmate disappeared from prison for at least 24 hours.

Police on Thursday said their investigation showed that Go  and a nephew who was with him  were “forcibly taken” from a minimum security compound at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, but Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said this was being looked into.

Go disappeared from prison on Tuesday evening. Police were able to get him back on Wednesday at about 11 p.m.

De Lima said Mr. Aquino was dismayed by what happened, given that measures had been adopted following reports that prominent inmates had been allowed to “live out” in the past.

“He is disappointed because, you know, this kind of incident keeps happening,” De Lima told reporters.

“He (the President) said,  ‘he thought all the safeguards and all the reform initiatives have been put in place to avoid similar incidents.’ He’s really disappointed and that’s why he immediately ordered an investigation,” she said.

De Lima said Mr. Aquino’s reaction was  “How can it happen again, if it’s true that it’s abduction or kidnapping for ransom right within the NBP?”

Pangilinan takes leave

Malacañang praised the Philippine National Police for recapturing Go. “It is good that while one agency was apparently remiss in its duties, another agency stepped up,” said presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Lacierda added: “To emphasize the principle of command responsibility and help the investigation, Bureau of Corrections Director Gaudencio Pangilinan has offered to go on leave, and the President has accepted it.”

Lacierda said the NBP  would be under the direct supervision of De Lima “pending the appointment of an officer in charge.”

De Lima said Pangilinan went on leave “for the sake of an impartial and thorough investigation.”

“Let’s not preempt him,” De Lima said when asked if Pangilinan was expected to resign.

“Maybe he’s thinking about it, maybe he’s not yet thinking about it, maybe he has a good explanation, maybe he can explain the level of responsibility and the level of efficiency and competence that was expected of him as the overall administrator of the facility,” the justice secretary added.