Alleged gunman’s surrender aids progress in Bundoquin probe – PTFoMS

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

CITY OF CALAPAN – The alleged shooter voluntarily appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), clearing a major obstacle on the path to uncovering the truth and bringing justice in the Bundoquin killing.

The accused showed up at the NBI Headquarters in Manila on Tuesday, June 27, a statement issued on Wednesday, June 28, said.

“The arduous road towards uncovering the truth and giving justice to Bundoquin just hurdled a major obstacle with the voluntary appearance before the NBI of Isabelo Lopez Bautista,” said Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Paul Gutierrez in the statement which was posted on Facebook.

Radio blocktimer Cresenciano ‘Cris’ Bundoquin, 50, was killed on May 31. He was shot to death by two motorcycle-riding armed men around 4:20 a.m. in front of his family-rented store in Barangay (village) Sta. Isabel here.

Accompanied by his wife, brother and other close relatives, Bautista turned up at the NBI National Capital Region (NCR) office in Manila past 6 pm on Tuesday. Bautista also vowed to cooperate with the NBI in the ongoing investigation fully.

Two witnesses had identified Bautista as the gunman, while his alleged cohort, Narciso Ignacio Guntan from Roxas town, died after their motorcycle crashed when it hit a metal road barrier during their escape.

Bautista was immediately appraised of his rights under the law on his arrival at the NBI and later met with Gutierrez and lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) to ensure that his rights as an accused were observed and respected.

Investigators are looking at the possibility that the radioman’s killing was due to his heavy criticism of the rampant proliferation of illegal gambling in the province with local carnivals (peryahan) and local politics.

Bautista confirmed that he and Guntan are ‘employees’ of Mindoro’s biggest carnival financiers/operators.

Gutierrez said that no legal case had been filed against Bautista at any trial court. He also has no pending warrant of arrest.

The Calapan City Prosecutor’s Office is yet to file any information against Bautista before the court despite receiving the police’s complaint for murder and frustrated murder against Bautista last June 9.

“So, technically and legally, we cannot say that Bautista ‘surrendered’ as he is not a wanted person in the absence of any warrant of arrest,” Gutierrez said.

“Nevertheless, we are glad that Bautista decided to turn himself in as his statements later on would help investigators in establishing all the facts and the truth surrounding the killing of Bundoquin and expedite our quest for justice for Bundoquin,” he added.

Bautista told authorities that he left Mindoro on June 8 and stayed at an undisclosed location in Batangas province before traveling to Manila.

He claimed he decided to hide it for some time on the advice of some close friends and relatives but is determined to turn himself in before the NBI.

The NBI NCR office, headed by lawyer Rommel Vallejo, was ordered by Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to conduct a parallel investigation about a week after the incident to hasten its resolution.

The NBI investigation was conducted alongside the ongoing probe by the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Bundoquin that was immediately formed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) after the incident and headed by Oriental Mindoro police director, Colonel Samuel Delorino.

/abc