High-profile prisoner Rolito Go is now officially free after he received his release papers from the Bureau of Corrections Friday night at the Metropolitan Hospital in Manila.
The Supreme Court ordered Go’s release from prison on Friday and the BuCor said Go needed to be brought back to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City from the hospital for processing.
But instead, his papers were processed by BuCor personnel at the hospital where he is confined due to colon cancer.
BuCor Director General Benjamin delos Santos said that this was done “to avoid going back and forth” from the hospital and NBP. “He can’t be moved because of his condition,” he said.
Delos Santos had earlier said that Go “will be brought back from the Metropolitan Hospital to the NBP for processing (for his release).”
After his release, Go insisted that he should have been freed in 2013. “Ako po ay masayang masaya. Salamat sa Diyos. 2013 dapat laya na ako. Masayang masaya ako at makakasama ko na pamilya ko,” he said, according to ABS-CBN News.
Go also pleaded with the Maguan family that the 1991 shooting was an accident.
“Sana maunawaan nila yung nangyari sa akin, yung sitwasyon na nangyari sa anak nila hindi intensyon na mangyari, aksidente yan,” he said.
Go served time at the NBP after he was convicted in 1993 for the murder of Eldon Maguan, 25, a student of De La Salle University. The construction magnate shot Maguan in San Juan City due to traffic altercation On July 2, 1991.
He escaped before the court’s decision was handed down and was caught by authorities in 1996. (Jonathan M. Hicap)