CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro: The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) is open to include in the Department of Justice's (DoJ) Witness Protection Program the family of the accused gunman in the killing of a broadcast journalist here.
In a press statement on Friday afternoon, PTFoMS Executive Director Paul Gutierrez said that his office is willing to intercede with the DoJ to consider entering the family of the alleged triggerman, Isabelo Lopez Bautista, to the DoJ's program if this could aid in convincing him to surrender. Bautista, 45, and a resident of Barangay Alcadesma, Bansud, has been positively identified by two witnesses in a sworn statement as the gunman. The statement was given to the Special Investigation Task Group Bundoquin (SITG) of the Philippine National Police tasked to handle the case.
Gutierrez also said that according to SITG Bundoquin ground commander and Police Provincial Director Col. Samuel Delorino, murder and attempted murder cases were filed against Bautista by the SITG and are still pending before the Calapan City Prosecutor's Office and are still for evaluation prior to submission to the court.
'For the moment, Bautista is the key personality in unmasking a possible conspiracy by some influential quarters in Mindoro to eliminate Bundoquin. His safety and that of his family is thus of paramount concern to the government,' Gutierrez said.
The PTFoMS had said over the week that they are considering three individuals as persons of interest, one is a police major, a provincial official belonging to a political clan in Mindoro, and the other is a long-time, big-time operator of perya (touring carnivals) with a close link to many local officials and close association with the police major.
A parallel investigation is also being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation upon orders of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to get a clearer picture of what happened, Gutierrez added.
'What our Justice secretary wants to happen in this instance is that all possible motives and angles should be investigated, based on solid evidence, and all those involved in the attack on (Cresencio) Bundoquin should be identified and prosecuted. The clear message we want to send is that the government gives serious attention to the life, security and liberty of all members of the press,' Gutierrez said.
Cresencio Bundoquin, co-host of the radio program 'Balita at Talakayan' aired over DWXR 101.7 Kalahi FM and on his online radio MUX was gunned down by riding-in-tandem killers at around 4:20 a.m. on May 31, in Barangay Sta. Isabel in this city. He was laid to rest on Thursday, April 8, in a local private cemetery.