Saturday, January 12, 2008 NBI wants Lintuan slay witness placed under DOJ protection By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office asked the Witness Protection Program (WPP) for provisional admission of a 15-year-old vital witness in the killing of broadcaster Fernando "Batman" Lintuan.
Chief City Prosecutor and WPP regional implementer Raul Bendigo said the application of the enforcement agency for the program will be subject for the approval of the secretary of justice.
"I will just recommend for approval pero ang secretary of justice ang mag approve talaga," Bendigo told Sun.Star Davao.
He said provisional admission asked by the NBI-Semro would entitle their witness to financial benefits from the WPP for a certain period of time even before the approval of the secretary of justice.
"I'll give the financial assistance however, if the secretary of justice will disapprove the application of the witness, he can terminate the coverage of the program right away," Bendigo said in an interview.
The NBI-Semro witness was said to have given the police a physical description of the gunman.
Lintuan was shot dead while driving his car along R. Castillo Street, Agdao, Davao City, about a hundred meters away from dxGO radio station at 9:40 a.m. of December 24.
