EDITORIAL : GETTING TO THE TRUTH; FAMILIES AND THE PUBLIC NEED A CREDIBLE INVESTIGATION IN SALDIVAR CASE.

AFTER describing himself as an ``angel of death,'' respiratory therapist Efren Saldivar recently disavowed his confession that he hastened the deaths of 40 to 50 patients during an eight-year span.

Said Saldivar: ``I lied.''

His flip-flop settles nothing.

Glendale Police Department investigators continue to work on the case, telling the Daily News they are building a murder file against Saldivar and believe that a crime occurred.

Meanwhile, many families - more than just 40 or 50 - wonder about the deaths of loved ones during the last decade. They fear Saldivar was telling the truth when he confessed and that he could have been a factor in the deaths of their relatives.

Thus, the investigation must move along in a thorough and professional yet rapid manner.

That should be a high priority in view of the seriousness of the actions Saldivar described in his confession, even though he reversed himself.

It should be a high priority given the number of people affected, including past and present members of hospital staffs, and members of dozens or hundreds of patients' families.

They need the peace of mind that would be provided by periodic updates from authorities, as long as that can be done in a timely manner without jeopardizing the investigation and any prosecution.

To accomplish this, all necessary resources should be brought to bear by law enforcement, regulatory and investigative agencies.

Failure to handle this probe in an efficient and prompt manner will lead to disappointment, frustration and great injustice.

This weird case already has one thing in common with another weird case, the slaying of child beauty-pageant contestant JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder, Colo.: a huge amount of worldwide publicity.

Let's hope it doesn't get something more: no resolution after more than a year of investigation.

Our point isn't that the same thing will likely happen here. It's only to point out that families deserve a competent, fair and prompt investigation whenever a loved one dies in unusual circumstances.

That goes doubly when innocent health-care workers await vindication and families await credible information about what Saldivar did or did not do during their relatives' final moments of life.