P1-M reward pooled to catch former De Lima driver Ronnie Dayan

The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Tuesday said the reward for information leading to the arrest of Senator Leila De Lima's former driver and security aide Ronnie Dayan has been raised to P1 million.

JUST IN: VACC raises bounty over Ronnie Dayan to P1 million. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/wODwaQUJvi

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) November 15, 2016

"This P1 million is for information leading to the arrest of Mr. Ronnie Dayan y Palisoc who is the subject of a warrant of arrest from the House of Representatives for contempt on the Committee on Justice for failing to appear despite proper service of subpoena," lawyer Ferdinand Topacio of the VACC told reporters at a forum in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Dayan is accused of receiving drug money for the campaign kitty of De Lima, former Justice Secretary.

He is also being romantically to De Lima, who owned up to the affair on Monday.

In an exclusive interview with GMA News TV's Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie, aired Monday night, De Lima admitted that she had an affair with Dayan with went on for "a few years." 

Dayan remains missing despite an arrest warrant against him.

The House justice and human rights committee, which conducted a probe on the alleged proliferation of the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, had summoned Dayan to the hearings but he never showed up.

The committee then issued a warrant of arrest on Dayan, citing contempt for his refusal to attend the House hearings, but the committee withdrew the warrant barely an hour after issuing it.

Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas made a motion to withdraw Dayan’s citation for contempt,  saying De Lima’s former driver should be given the chance first to explain himself.

Witnesses during the House hearings had pointed to Dayan as De Lima's alleged bagman.

For one, former PO3 Engelberto Durano, Batang Cebu Brotherhood (BC45) member, claimed that his friend Jeffrey Diaz, alias Jaguar who runs a "shabu" business in Cebu, was coddled by Dayan.

Dayan allegedly offered to protect Diaz's shabu business for a price. Durano said Dayan and Diaz ended up having transactions amounting to P27.3 million, deposited into three bank accounts.

'Seven businessmen'

Meanwhile, Topacio said seven businessmen donated money to accumulate such amount.

The reward money, in bundles of P1,000 bills, was presented by Topacio and VACC chair Dante Jimenez  during the forum.

"May isa akong kaibigan, actually dalawa na nagsabing, 'Bakit hindi tayo magkaroon ng reward para kay Dayan?' Nag-pledge sila P100,000... Nag-uusap lang kami over dinner... tapos nag-snowball, naging P1 million," Topacio said.

The lawyer did not name the businessmen-donors but clarified that they are not politicians.

VACC initially offered P100,000 reward to anyone who could give information on Dayan's whereabouts.

LOOK: Pabuya sa ikakahuli ni Ronnie Dayan, ex-driver-bodyguard ni Sen. Leila de Lima, itinaas na sa ?1-M, ayon sa VACC. | via @allangatus pic.twitter.com/MUk8LEO6Ph

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) November 15, 2016

Topacio also said they are still coordinating with the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) on how to administer the reward to the informant.

"May protocol sila diyan. They will setup a hotline, and then lahat ng informants will be assigned a codename," Topacio said.

"I will entrust the CIDG in informing me na itong tao na ito ang siyang nagbigay ng impormasyon leading to the arrest of Ronnie Dayan, doon mismo ibibigay ang cash," he added.

VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez said they will coordinate with the PNP to ensure the safety of the informant.

Meanwhile, Topacio said with the raising of the reward money, they are "100 percent" confident that Dayan will finally be arrested.

VACC on October 28 filed a disbarment case against De Lima for gross immorality as she allegedly had a romantic affair with Dayan. — with Rose-an Jessica Dioquino/VVP, GMA News