12 years for stealing historical documents
A former researcher who tried to sell rare historical documents he stole from the Philippines' National Library has been jailed for 12 years.
Rolando Bayhon, a former researcher at the National Historical Institute, was caught during a police raid on an antiques shop in central Manila when he tried to sell the documents chronicling the Philippine revolution against Spain in 1896.
'There are others out there, who, we believe, possess historical documents stolen from the library. Let Bayhon be an example of the fate that awaits them,' National Library director Adoracion Bolos said.
Bayhon was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation agents in 1993 while trying to sell 42 documents.
The agents were conducting a raid on the shop when Bayhon walked in and tried to negotiate to sell the documents, which were valued at 42,000 pesos (HK$12,400) but officials said were priceless historical relics.
Mr Bolos said the conviction of Bayhon would enhance the Government's campaign to recover other rare documents stolen from the National Library in the past several years.
