Colanggo marked birthday at NBP with police officers, city execs

High-profile inmate Herbert Colanggo celebrated his birthday inside the maximum security compund of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) with police and local government officials in 2013, Emil Sumangil reported on "24 Oras" on Wednesday.

Based on photos posted on a Facebook account that bore the name of PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, Colanggo celebrated his birthday that year at the NBP along with murder convict Chief Inspector Clarence Dongail.

Dela Rosa did not confirm if the Facebook account was indeed his.

Also seen in the pictures were NBP chaplain Msgr. Roberto Olaguer and Fr. Danilo Locquiao.

Olaguer said he only met Colanggo for the first time during the birthday celebration after being requested to celebrate mass at the party.

"First time ko na-meet diyan si Colanggo. Ni-request ako magmisa at may isang pari rin kasama ko na magmimisa. Kaya maraming bisita, kasi dalawa silang mag-be-birthday," Olaguer said.

Two police officials—Senior Supt. Remus Medina and Supt. Richard Gumboc—were also seen in the party.

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa said all personalities seen in the photos are persons of interest after partying with NBP inmates.

"Ginagawa nating persons of interest ang mga tao na yan. Bakit sila nandoon sa loob ng Bilibid? At nakipag-party diyan sa mga drug lord na yan?," Dela Rosa said.

Another photo sent by a source of GMA News showed Colanggo, a convicted bank robber, talking with Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay.

Asked about his links with Colanggo, Pichay told GMA News that he was only introduced to Colangco by former Surigao del Norte Representative Jun Romarate.

Colangco was also seen posing with the chiefs of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Public Order and Safety Office, and the traffic bureau of the Muntinlupa City Hall.

Muntinlupa City Public Information Chief Tess Navarro called the photos as a non-issue because city officials were often invited during NBP events.

"It's a non-issue thing para sa Muntinlupa... Ako ang nakikita ko rito, there's politics behind again," Navarro said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/NB, GMA News