Court issues arrest warrant vs alleged gunman in Mindoro broadcaster's killing

The Regional Trial Court in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, has issued an arrest warrant for the alleged gunman in the killing of radio broadcaster Cresenciano ''Cris'' Bundoquin, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) said Friday.

In a statement, PTFoMS said the arrest warrant for murder and attempted murder against Isabelo Lopez Bautista was signed by RTC Branch 39 Judge Josephine Caranzo on Thursday.

A bail bond of P120,000 was set by the court for the charge of attempted murder, while no bail was recommended for the main accusation of murder against Bautista, PTFoMS said.

"With the issuance of the warrant of arrest, the process of rendering justice to Bundoquin and extracting the truth behind his death can now begin," PTFoMS Executive Director Paul  Gutierrez said.

 "This would also give an opportunity for Bautista to prove his innocence as he claims before the proper channel, which is our court of law," he added.

Bundoquin was killed in a shooting incident in Calapan City on May 31. Based on a police report, the 50-year-old victim was attacked by two  unidentified perpetrators at 4:20 a.m.

Police said one of the two suspects on board a motorcycle shot Bunduquin in front of a sari-sari store. The victim was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Gutierrez said two witnesses identified Bautista as the gunman, while his cohort, Narciso Guntan, died after they crashed while escaping from the crime scene.

Gutierrez said Bautista confirmed that he and Guntan are employees of a big carnival operator in Mindoro.

Bundoquin was a radio blocktimer at Kalahi News FM, according to PTFoMS.

Authorities see the rampant proliferation of illegal gambling in the province through local carnivals and local politics as possible motives behind the killing of Bundoquin, as these were severely criticized in his radio programs.

"We continue to maintain that the killing of Bundoquin cannot be simply explained by the alleged ‘personal grudge’ against him by his attackers," Gutierrez said.

"There may be a deeper motive that can only be explained by more evidence," he added.

On June 27, Bautista presented himself before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to seek protective custody. According to the PTFoMS, Bautista "continues to maintain his innocence.''  — VBL, GMA Integrated News