P2-M bounty for Samar mayor’s killer

CALBAYOG CITY-The family of Mayor Reynaldo Uy has offered a cash reward of P800,000, increasing the bounty to P2 million for information that could help solve his murder, and lead to the arrest of the killer.

Rosa Jessica Uy-Delgado, eldest daughter of Uy, made the announcement in a press conference on Monday, minutes after the body of her father was transferred to the family residence in Oquendo district.

Uy was gunned down by a still unidentified man inside a covered court in Hinabangan, Samar, on April 30. He died on May 1 at Divine Word Hospital in Tacloban City.

Delgado earlier pointed to a “highly corrupt politician” as the mastermind, but she refused to identify the person.

Before he was killed, Uy was helping push a recall petition against the children of former Gov. Milagros Tan—Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos and James Tan—who now sit as governor and vice governor of Samar.

Milagros Tan had been suspended for 90 days during her term for the misuse of calamity funds of the impoverished province.

“On behalf of the entire Uy family, I would like to inform everyone that we are raising the bounty to P2 million,” Delgado said.

She said the family would assure the protection of witnesses who could help solve the crime.

Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo had said the government was offering a cash reward of P1 million, plus P200,000 from the Liberal Party (LP), for the arrest of the killer and the solution of the murder. Uy was a member of the LP.

Delgado expressed frustration at the slow pace of investigation being conducted by authorities.

“If we are going to backtrack to what they have accomplished so far, we are so sad to say that there has not been any progress yet,” she said. “Are they really here to help us on the case or maybe they are just here because our President said so?”

President Aquino, in a visit to Uy’s wake on May 5, vowed justice for the slain mayor’s family.

Chief Supt. Arnold Revilla, police regional director, said the police had no clear leads yet on the case.

A board has been created to evaluate pieces of information related to the murder, Revilla said. This was one way to avoid the mistake of getting fall guys, he added.

In a statement, Makabayan, a coalition of eight left-wing parties led by ex-party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo, said it saw politics and Uy’s involvement in proleftist campaigns as possible motives for the murder.

Makabayan noted that Uy had been very active in the recall petition vs the Tan children, which was found sufficient in form and substance by the Commission on Elections. Uy had planned to run for governor if recall elections were held.

The coalition, however, said the investigation should not spare the police and military since Uy was also active in the campaign against extrajudicial killings.