Mindoro radio commentator’s alleged gunman surrenders

MANILA – The alleged gunman in the May 31 killing of Oriental Mindoro radio commentator Cresenciano “Cris” Bundoquin has surrendered to the authorities and tagged the province’s biggest carnival financier, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) confirmed Wednesday.

The alleged suspect identified as Isabelo Bautista turned himself in before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Manila on Tuesday, PTFoMs executive director Paul Gutierrez said in a statement.

Citing the testimony of the radio commentator’s alleged killer, Gutierrez said Bautista is claiming that he is “not the gunman who shot Bundoquin several times at close range.”

“Bautista also vowed to fully cooperate with the NBI in finding out the truth about the incident,” Gutierrez said.

“The arduous road towards uncovering the truth and giving justice to Bundoquin just hurdled a major obstacle with the voluntary appearance before the NBI of Isabelo Lopez Bautista,” he added.

Bundoquin, a radio block timer at dwXR 101.7 Kalahi News FM, was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding armed men in front of his family-rented store at the Sta. Isabel village in Calapan City around 4:20 a.m. on May 31.

Two witnesses had identified Bautista as the gunman while his alleged cohort, identified as Narciso Ignacio Guntan, died after their motorcycle crashed when it hit a metal road barrier during their escape.

Gutierrez said Bautista had confirmed that he and Guntan are “employees” of a certain “Felix Solis,” the alleged biggest carnival financier and operator in Mindoro province.

“The evolving motive for the killing of Bundoquin was the rampant proliferation of illegal gambling in the province with local carnivals (peryahan) as front, as well as local politics. Both