Villegas denies sighting of missing brod in Las Vegas
LINGAYEN–Fourth District Board Member Liberato Villegas has denied rumors that his younger brother, Roland, who was abducted and has been missing since March this year, now lives in the United States following sightings in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“There are rumors circulating around that he was sighted in Las Vegas. Will our family talk this way if that is true?” Villegas said.
Roland was a former president of the Liga ng mga Barangay of San Fabian and ran for town mayor in the May election last year but lost to re-electionist Mayor Mojamito Libunao.
Libunao himself told newsmen last week that he did receive reports about Roland being seen in the US and added that he could have left the country through backdoor channels.
The elder Villegas said their family feels slighted by the mayor’s statement and pointed out that P/Sr. Supt. Isagani Nerez, the police provincial director, had confirmed with the Bureau of Immigration that there is no record whatsoever of his brother’s departure.
“Kung malalaking tao nga, maski nag back door, may record pa rin na lumalabas,” Villegas said.
Villegas also revealed for the first time that they had paid ransom money to the abductors a week after Roland has gone missing but his brother was not returned to them as promised.
“Binigay namin ang kailangan nila pero hindi sila tumupad sa usapan. Hindi pera ang kailangan nila kundi si Roland,” he said.
The provincial police earlier formed a special task force to focus on the case but no resolution was ever reported.
Villegas also stressed that they have a close-knit family and Roland would surely update them of his whereabouts if he could.
“Up to now, there is still zero communication (from Roland),” he said.
“If he is alive, why don’t we tell it? We are the ones affected here,” he added
He added that his disappearance continues to affect their mother and Roland’s family.
But if indeed Roland is still alive, Villegas said, this is very welcome news to their family.#
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