THE provincial government of Bulacan has offered a P500,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of four suspects, including a policeman, behind the killing of a provincial board member.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo announced the reward during a press briefing at Camp Crame yesterday, four days after two counts of murder and two counts of frustrated murder were filed against the suspects, led by Staff Sergeant Ullyses Pascual.
“The LGU (local government unit) of Bulacan has offered a P500,000 reward for anyone who could provide information that will lead to the location and arrest of Sergeant Pascual, (Cesar) Gallardo, alias Lupin and alias Jeff,” said Fajardo.
Police probers filed the murder charges against the suspects before the Malolos City Prosecutors Office last Monday.
The four were tagged as behind the October 3 killing of Bulacan board member Ramilito Capistrano and his driver, Shedrick Suarez Toribio, in Malolos City while they were aboard a sports utility vehicle. Their two companions survived unscathed.
The Bulacan police provincial police office said the identification and filing of charges against the suspects was the product of a “thorough and persistent investigation” conducted by the Special Investigation Task Group Capistrano.
Fajardo said they are still determining the motive behind the killing of Capistrano.
“We cannot yet establish the motive until such time we identify the mastermind because it appears that the suspects who were charged were just instruments of the mastermind in killing Capistrano and his driver,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said one of the angles that investigators are looking into is work-related.
Fajardo also announced that the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will now be leading the manhunt operation against the suspects.
“The OIC (officer-in-charge) of the Bulacan police provincial office informed us that since the cases have been filed, the CIDG will be the primary unit now that will conduct a manhunt against these personalities,” said Fajardo.
Pascual, who was last assigned at Camp Crame, was earlier placed under restrictive custody after initial investigation showed he drove the vehicle used in the killing of Capistrano and Toribio.
Fajardo said Pascual sought permission from a police guard to go home house and went into hiding.
Fajardo said Pascual would face additional administrative charges for disregarding a lawful order and insubordination for escaping police custody.
