Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The family of Eldon Maguan, the engineering student shot dead by Rolito Go in a 1991 road rage incident, accepts the Supreme Court decision to release the convicted murderer, the Maguans’ lawyer said Saturday.
Go, a construction tycoon, was sentenced to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years imprisonment, after he was found guilty of killing Maguan.
But he was declared free late Friday after 25 years in detention.
The Supreme Court said Go had fully served his sentence, because his transfer to the Iwahig Penal Colony in Palawan commutes his sentence to 30 years, and because of good conduct while in prison.
Atty. Jose Flaminiano told CNN Philippines the Maguan family will no longer take legal actions to reverse the high court ruling.
“At least I understood from my talks with one of the children, kapatid nung namatay na si Eldon eh parang tinatanggap na nila yung verdict ng Supreme Court (Eldon’s sibling, I think they accepted the Supreme Court verdict),” Flaminiano said.
He added Go deserves to be freed for “reasons of humanity and compassion.”
“May sakit na yung tao eh. Palagay ko hindi na rin tatagal (He is sick. I think he will no longer live long),” he said.
Go is confined at the Metropolitan Hospital in Tondo, Manila for Stage 4 colon cancer.
“Justice, I think, has already been served. Naghirap na rin itong si Rolito (Rolito already suffered),” Flaminiano added.
CNN Philippines’ Rex Remitio contributed to this report.
