5 suspects in De Lima aide's slay identified

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified the five suspects in the killing of an aide of Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima last May.

NBI Special Task Force chief Roland Argabioso said the suspects were positively identified by the witness, who surfaced at the DOJ office in Manila last week.

The names and the cartographic sketches of the suspects have yet to be released to the media.

NBI agents earlier conducted a re-enactment that confirmed the testimony of the witness.

In his sworn statement, the witness said that he saw Alistair Quintos on the night of May 10 flagging down a green Mitsubishi Adventure.

The following day, Quintos was found dead in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

Argabioso said that an initial verification of the Adventure’s plate number revealed that it was registered to a different vehicle owned by a judge’s wife.

The NBI has yet to talk with the supposed owner of the license plate used by the suspects.

Earlier, the NBI said that the witness’ testimony has corroborated with their theory that Quintos was a victim of a group of robbers posing as passengers of unregistered public utility vehicles.