P500,000 bounty up for killers of PCTF member

TARLAC CITY -- The Provincial Government of Tarlac has offered a P500,000 reward for the immediate arrest of persons responsible for the killing of a member of the Provincial Composite Task Force (PCTF).

Emil Datu, a member of the PCTF and resident of Barangay Cristo Rey, Capas town, was gunned down by two armed men last January 12, said Senior Superintendent Jesus Rebua, officer-in-charge of the Tarlac Police Provincial Office.

Rebua said Datu was shot to death by two armed men while tending to his duties as PCTF control point checker.

The PCTF is in-charge mainly in the inspection of hauling permits and delivery receipts of dump trucks carrying extracted loads of sand, gravel and other earth materials.

Before the killing of Datu, he and several other PCTF employees received death threats in relation to their functions, the report said.

“Datu and several other personnel of the provincial task force have received death threats before he [Datu] was gunned down,” said Superintendent Bayani Razalan, deputy director for operations of Tarlac police.

Governor Susan Yap has already written PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Amador Corpus, National Bureau of Investigation Provincial Director Alvin Rebadulla, and Rebua, requesting them to conduct a thorough investigation on the case by considering that the crime may likewise be related to the performance of Datu’s job as a control point checker.

Razalan said they are considering two men responsible for Datu’s murder. The primary suspect was already identified by police and another John Doe is yet to be identified. He gave no further details.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Administrator Engr. Roberto Ventura and Provincial Assistant Legal Officer Warren Sarsagat said the mechanics for the release of the reward money will be determined by the Provincial Government and the police.

“I believe that justice always prevails and it is certain that all the authorities concerned with the investigation have the expertise, ability and capability to bring the perpetrators to justice in order to answer for the crime that was committed,” Yap said in a statement. (Ric Sapnu)