Thursday, May 24, 2007 Army ready to probe Bautista's ‘coddler’ By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines-Eastern Mindanao Command (AFP-Eastmincom) is ready to investigate the Army officer who is rumored to be "coddling" Representative Claude Bautista, principal suspect in the murder of a Malita mayoralty candidate and his son on May 16.
Eastmincom spokesman Major Randolph Cabangbang said no less than their commander, Lieutenant General Rodolfo Obaniana, will order an investigation on the officer if a witness comes forward and testify against him.
"This information is critical and should be substantiated especially if a warrant of arrest will come out for Representative Bautista. If anyone can give the name of the Army officer involved, then he should give it at once. No less than Lieutenant General Rodolfo Obaniana will order for his investigation," Cabangbang said.
Rumors have it that Bautista's "coddler" is a ranking military officer in Davao del Sur and is a blood relative of the Bautistas.
But an official who requested anonymity also said Bautista could not be "coddled" since he is a not fugitive from justice as no warrant of arrest has been issued against him in connection with the Malita killings.
The Bautistas meanwhile are silent on the whereabouts of the congressman.
Authorities are yet to file charges against Representative Bautista and nine of his bodyguards for the death of Malita mayoralty candidate Isidro Sarmiento and his son Danilo.
Members of Task Force Sarmiento earlier formed to handle the investigation of the double killings are still evaluating the evidence during a case conference at the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office in Camp Catitipan Monday morning.
Senior Superintendent Binang Hadjiril, PNP regional office chief of staff, said Task Force members will decide when the cases would be filed based on the pieces of evidence gathered so far.
Earlier, it was reported that a witness pointed to Representative Bautista as the person who shot and killed Danilo while the bodyguards killed Isidro who was running for mayor in Malita against incumbent Governor Benjamin Bautista.
The Bautistas however denied that it was the congressman who shot Danilo, saying it was his bodyguards who shot the Sarmientos only after the Sarmientos fired the first shot.
