CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – A Regional Trial Court here has allowed the transfer of custody of the alleged gunman in the killing of a radio block timer to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after considering the possible threat to his life and safety.
ISABELO Lopez Bautista (in orange T-shirt, handcuffed) remains in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation while under preventive imprisonment for murder and attempted murder charges filed before a court in Calapan City over the killing of broadcast journalist Cresenciano Bunduquin. (Jerry Alcayde) In a two-page order dated July 17, Judge Charity Grace A. Rico, Presiding Judge of the RTC Branch 40 and who sits as pairing judge at RTC Branch 39, ordered the warden of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Calapan City to immediately implement the transfer of Isabelo Lopez Bautista to the NBI-Mimaropa (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) custodial facility in Barangay Santa Isabel here. “Accordingly, after a second hard look at all the allegations in the accused’s Motion to Maintain the Venue of Detention before the NBI as well as the allegations in the motion under consideration, this Court finds wisdom in transferring the confinement of the accused while on preventive imprisonment,” Rico said in her order. Bautista’s previous confinement at BJMP was contained in a commitment order dated July 12 when he was presented to the court after a 15-day “stay” at the NBI-National Capital Region headquarters in Manila. The suspect’s counsels, Patrick Velez and Francis Bangoy, moved for the immediate transfer of their client due to alleged serious threats to his life. Bautista has repeatedly denied his involvement in the killing of Cresenciano “Cris” A. Bundoquin but he promised that he will fully cooperate with NBI and Philippine National Police (PNP) investigators by giving all information that may lead to what actually transpired when the victim was shot and killed by riding-in-tandem gunmen in front of his rented store in Barangay Santa Isabel on May 31. Another suspect, Nicasio “Cisoy” Guntan, of Paclasan, Roxas, this province, died when he hit a steel barrier on the road after Bundoquin’s son chased the duo on board a motorcycle while escaping. Bautista is facing cases of murder and attempted murder before the RTC Branch 39 after the city prosecutor’s found probable cause linking him to the killing. Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Paul Gutierrez said one of the two handguns recovered in the crime scene was traced to a bodyguard of a politician who ran, but lost, for mayor in Oriental Mindoro.