NATIONAL police chief Rodolfo S. Azurin, Jr. on Monday urged former Bureau of Corrections director Gerald Q. Bantag to surrender to authorities after a Muntinlupa court ordered his arrest over the murder of a broadcaster.
“To make it easier for everyone, why don’t you just surrender?” the police chief told a livestreamed news briefing.
He said Mr. Bantag is considered a fugitive and the police is on a manhunt for him and his deputy, who is also subject to an arrest warrant over the murder of radio broadcaster Percival C. Mabasa.
The former prison chief had denied his involvement in the murder, saying he had nothing to gain from it.
Last month, government prosecutors indicted the ex-prison chief, his deputy, the self-confessed gunman and a former inmate of the national penitentiary after they found probable cause to charge them with the murder.
Mr. Azurin said the Philippine National Police is ready to provide security to Mr. Bantag if he is concerned about his safety.
Two gunmen on a motorcycle killed the 63-year-old broadcaster on his way home in Las Piñas City on the evening of Oct. 3 last year.
The late broadcaster’s YouTube channel, which had more than 200,000 subscribers, showed that he had been critical of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and some sitting officials. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
